Houthi attacks on merchant ships sailing in the Red Sea can be seen as a continuation of the war between Israel and Hamas, Middle East expert Helga Kalm said on ETV’s “Ringvaade” program. He added that there was a risk of the conflict spreading even further into the Middle East.
“What is happening in the Red Sea can be seen as the continuation or continuation of the war between Israel and Hamas.
Kalm said the Houthis are a rebel group operating in Yemen, which has fired cruise missiles into the Red Sea and taken several merchant ships hostage since mid-November.
Last week, the British-US-led coalition launched attacks on Houthi weapons depots, missile launch sites and radars in Yemen. “The Houthis have promised that they will continue bombing. Even today a cruise missile was launched at the American cargo ship, but fortunately it is not that serious, the ship can continue its journey,” Kalm said.
Kalm said the Houthis are financed and armed primarily by Iran. “They are part of the so-called axis of the Iranian resistance, which includes Hamas, the Houthis, Iran itself, Hezbollah in Lebanon and also some individual groups in Iraq and Syria,” Kalm said.
According to Kalmu, the intervention of the US-British coalition is important from the point of view of international trade.
“Much of the trade between Asia and Europe and between Asia and North America goes through the Red Sea, so the risks for merchant ships make it more difficult. Several companies have started sailing now not through the Red Sea, but through the tip of South Africa, stretching about 4,000 nautical miles, uses more fuel. And it takes about 10 days longer to get the ship moving. The effects on trade are already being felt, with Tesla and Volvo partially closing their their factories in Europe because the right parts do not arrive on time, etc. This can cause a chain reaction in trade, where things are not ready on time, delivery difficulties arise, etc.,” Kalm said.
“The Houthis say that in revenge they attack ships carrying goods to Israel. At the same time, it can be seen that the ships they attack are not always related to Israel, but are just merchant ships,” he said.
According to Kalmu, there is a danger that other countries of Iran and its axis of resistance will attack, for example, the American base in Iraq or elsewhere. “Then this thing can spread like wildfire, there are risks,” Kalm added.
2024-01-15 17:38:00
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