International naval missions in Red Sea lead to decline in Houthi attacks

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired two missiles at ships in the Red Sea. The U.S. Central Command confirmed this on Tuesday. The missiles were launched from Yemen, controlled by the Houthis. Luckily, no one was hurt, and no ships were damaged. The Central Command warned that these actions by the Houthis, supported by Iran, could harm the region's stability and endanger sailors in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Greece mentioned that attacks by the Houthis had decreased in the past week. This reduction was credited to better cooperation between international naval missions in the Red Sea. The Greek Shipping Minister said that working together had helped in reducing the number of attacks. The Houthis have been targeting ships in the Red Sea since October, claiming it was in response to Israel's actions against Hamas in Gaza. The U.S. Maritime Administration reported that the Houthis had carried out over 50 attacks on ships, resulting in casualties and ship seizures. In response, the Pentagon initiated Operation Prosperity Guardian to counter these attacks. Joint British-U.S. airstrikes in Yemen targeted the Houthis, causing casualties among them. The recent decrease in attacks in the Red Sea has been linked to the improved cooperation between Greek and U.S. naval missions. Greece leads the EU's naval operation in the Red Sea, known as "Aspides," meaning "Shields" in Greek. This operation aims to protect vessels from Houthi attacks. The Greek Shipping Minister emphasized the importance of international cooperation in restoring trade freedom in the region. He highlighted the significant impact of the attacks on shipping and the need for collective action to address them.