Red Sea cargo transit recovering amid Gaza ceasefire: The National

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
13 Feb 2025 19:51

The National notes that conditions in the Red Sea have become relatively stable.

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In this photo released of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, the EU naval mission working in the Red Sea, on the X-platform formerly known as Twitter, on Sept. 16, 2024, the Greek-flagged oil tanker MV-Sounion, left, is towed (EUNAFOR ASPIDES via AP)

Some shipping companies have resumed cargo transit through the Red Sea following a pause in the military operations carried out by the Yemeni Armed Forces against ships in support of Gaza during the Israeli war on the Palestinian enclave, The National reported, citing sources.

Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza in October 2023, the YAF launched operations against Israeli and Israeli-bound ships, as well as American and British ships in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinian people and their Resistance and in retaliation against the Israeli aggression on Yemen.

At the time, the YAF underlined that these operations would not cease until the aggression on Gaza ends and the siege imposed on the Palestinian enclave is lifted. In late January, the YAF announced that it had halted attacks on vessels after a ceasefire in Gaza took effect.

In this context, The National noted that conditions in the Red Sea have become relatively stable.

"We can see that in the current environment, risk has reduced for us, so the insurance pricing is starting to drop. On the other hand, this reduced risk also means that some ship owners are now happier to transit the Red Sea than before," Rohan Davies, Divisional Managing Director at Markel insurance firm, told the newspaper.

However, Davies noted that some ship owners remain cautious, as many view the ceasefire in Gaza as fragile and that conditions could deteriorate rapidly, opting for longer and more costly alternative routes due to concerns over the security situation.

Earlier, the leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned that Yemen will immediately take military action against both "Israel" and the US if they launch an attack on Gaza.

He also called on the Yemeni Armed Forces to maintain full readiness in anticipation of any American aggression.

In January, Sayyed al-Houthi stressed that Yemen is closely monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and "we have our finger on the trigger."