Commercial Ships in Red Sea Broadcast Desperate Messages to Avoid Houthi Attacks
Ship owners and crew are increasingly resorting to public channels to communicate their Muslim affiliations and avoid targeting by the Houthi militia in Yemen.
Commercial ships sailing through the Red Sea have been broadcasting increasingly desperate messages on public channels in an attempt to avoid being targeted by the Houthi militia in Yemen.
These messages, which often emphasize the Muslim faith of the crew or the presence of armed guards onboard, also highlight the absence of any connections to Israel.Maritime security sources suggest that these messages reflect a growing sense of desperation among ship owners and crew as they seek to protect themselves from potential attacks.
However, experts argue that such measures are unlikely to be effective against the Houthi's extensive intelligence preparations.
According to one source, the Houthi militia has a 'much deeper and forward-leaning' intelligence setup, making it challenging for ships to evade their attacks.The Houthi militia began targeting vessels off Yemen's coast in November 2023, claiming their actions were in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war.
Although there was a brief pause this year, recent events have seen the resumption of these attacks, resulting in the sinking of two ships and the loss of four crew members.
It has been noted that some of these targeted vessels had previously made calls to Israeli ports within the past year.The international community has expressed concern over these developments, with organizations like the Seafarers' Charity emphasizing the critical role seafarers play in global trade, which includes keeping countries supplied with essential goods such as food, fuel, and medicine.
The charity urges that seafarers should not have to risk their lives in order to carry out their duties effectively.
These messages, which often emphasize the Muslim faith of the crew or the presence of armed guards onboard, also highlight the absence of any connections to Israel.Maritime security sources suggest that these messages reflect a growing sense of desperation among ship owners and crew as they seek to protect themselves from potential attacks.
However, experts argue that such measures are unlikely to be effective against the Houthi's extensive intelligence preparations.
According to one source, the Houthi militia has a 'much deeper and forward-leaning' intelligence setup, making it challenging for ships to evade their attacks.The Houthi militia began targeting vessels off Yemen's coast in November 2023, claiming their actions were in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war.
Although there was a brief pause this year, recent events have seen the resumption of these attacks, resulting in the sinking of two ships and the loss of four crew members.
It has been noted that some of these targeted vessels had previously made calls to Israeli ports within the past year.The international community has expressed concern over these developments, with organizations like the Seafarers' Charity emphasizing the critical role seafarers play in global trade, which includes keeping countries supplied with essential goods such as food, fuel, and medicine.
The charity urges that seafarers should not have to risk their lives in order to carry out their duties effectively.
