The Houthi Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) has sent letters to 64 companies doing business with Israeli ports.
The letters warn of a ban on transiting the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea.
Violators, they say, will face attacks “anywhere within the reach of Yemeni armed forces.”
After a relatively calm start to the year, the Houthis have stepped up activity:
– July attacks sank bulk carriers Magic Seas and Eternity C
– CMT now classifies the threat level for Israel-linked vessels as critical
– The impact is already visible: traffic through Bab el-Mandeb fell by 28.3% in one week, hitting a six-month low.
– For seafarers and shipowners: this situation demands route adjustments and updated risk assessments when operating in the Red Sea region.
All seafarers should take proper insurance and be very watchful.
