Watan-The American magazine “The Economist” has highlighted the threats posed by the Houthi group in Yemen to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is a vital economic artery in the Red Sea. The closure of this strait affects the Suez Canal and worsens the crisis for the regime of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Egypt. It also poses a threat to the global economy, according to the magazine.
Bab al-Mandab is located over a thousand miles away from Gaza and is a narrow strait between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, serving as the gateway from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
The region becomes increasingly dangerous as the Houthi group in Yemen continues to target ships in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait in response to the Israeli occupation’s crimes in Gaza.
Four major companies are opting to bypass the Suez Canal
On December 9, 2023, the Houthis warned that they would target all ships heading to Israel, regardless of their nationality. They cautioned all global shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports.
As the
escalation against Western ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait intensified, four of the world’s top five container shipping companies—Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM—announced the suspension or halt of their services in the Red Sea. This route is crucial for traffic from the Suez Canal, and the situation, as reported by The Economist and translated by Watan, may have significant repercussions on the global economy and regional countries, including the economy of the Sisi regime and the risks of military escalation.
The decision by these companies to avoid the Suez Canal means they will resort to the longer route via the Cape of Good Hope, adding approximately 11 days to the ship’s journey. This is likely to cause further delays in supply chains and create a global crisis.
Netanyahu has told Biden that if he does not take action against the Houthis in Yemen, Israel will wage war there. But this is a jackal, Because this will lead to a regional war, for which neither Israel nor America is prepared. Yemen will block Bab al-Mandab 1/2⤵️#ابو_عبيدة pic.twitter.com/QcrRMwtIui
— PALESTINE 🇵🇸 (@chachafeku420) December 11, 2023
“The Economist” confirms that Sisi is in a predicament!
And according to that, what the head of the Suez Canal Authority, Osama Rabie, mentioned about the regularity of navigation in the Egyptian canal and the minimal impact of Houthi attacks is contrary to reality.
Rabie claimed, despite those reports, that the Suez Canal will remain effective as it is the fastest and shortest route. However, the four companies that have suspended or halted their services represent 53 percent of global container trade. Moreover, according to The Economist, many other companies are likely to follow suit.
The Suez Canal entices ships with unprecedented discounts
And it indicates the significant crisis for the Sisi regime, as confirmed by the publications issued by the Suez Canal Authority last week.
According to Egyptian media reports, the authority issued nine navigational notices, including adjustments to the discounts granted to container ships, chemical tankers, and derivatives of petroleum carriers. The adjustments also apply to the granted discounts for liquefied petroleum gas carriers, dry bulk cargo ships, and liquefied natural gas carriers, all valid until June 30, 2024.
The publication includes granting ships coming from the East Coast of the Americas and the Gulf of America, heading directly to South and Southeast Asia, with some adjustments for container ships coming from the port of Norfolk and northward, bound for the ports of Port Klang and eastward, with a discount of 40%.
Container ships coming from ports south of Norfolk, heading to ports of Port Klang and eastward, are granted a 60% discount. Additionally, a 50% discount is given to ships coming from ports in Colombo and eastward, up to but not including the port of Port Klang.
🌍⚡️ 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗘 : À cause de la menace Yéménite, Maersk la cinquième plus grande compagnie maritime au monde, a interdit à tous ses navires de traverser la mer Rouge et le détroit de Bab al-Mandab.
Cette mesure risque d’affecter l’économie mondiale, et sensibilisera davantage… pic.twitter.com/IIDB7S9cwS
— Les Spectateurs (@les_spectateurs) December 16, 2023
Activists interpret this as a partial siege by the Houthis on Sisi and his regime, which, in turn, besieges Gaza, participating in the Israeli occupation’s crimes, even if it publicly states otherwise, according to their description.
According to The Economist, in the face of these risks, the global shipping industry is entering an emergency situation, and Washington may be working to militarily confront the Houthis to restore security to this vital passage.
The expected U.S. military intervention, as per the American magazine, involves forming a multinational military force led by the U.S. Navy off the coast of Yemen, attempting to deter the Houthis from forcefully boarding ships.
However, The Economist believes that it is important to take diplomatic steps that may help calm the crisis in the Bab al-Mandab region, possibly through Saudi Arabia.