Defying Stereotypes: The Houthis’ Bold Stand in the Red Sea
Watan-The British website “Middle East Eye” stated that the United States and Britain are playing a “demonization drama” towards the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, distorting them by casting doubt on their objectives and linking them to events in Gaza and using all means to justify airstrikes in the region.
The website mentioned in a report monitored by (Watan) that one of the circulating arguments now about the Houthi movement in Yemen is that their actions against maritime shipping in the Red Sea have absolutely nothing to do with Gaza – and that even if Israel halted the war, the Houthis would not stop.
The Houthis have consistently affirmed that they only target ships heading to Israel, and according to the website’s claims, they have avoided causing any deaths – while suffering their losses in the American-British attacks that began since January 12th, 2024.
The Houthis’ Brave Effort!
The most they’ve done is take ship crew members hostage and garner significant support worldwide because the Red Sea attacks are seen as a brave, albeit modest, effort by a small man against an oppressive force (as described by the website).
Even if the Houthis mockingly manipulate before global audiences, as critics say, it’s hard to see them lose this support by continuing to disrupt shipping without cause after the ceasefire in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Houthi policy has proven notably effective. With relatively little effort, they managed to push major shipping companies to avoid the Red Sea, through which about 12% of global trade passes.
Global supply chains are witnessing a tumultuous crisis due to ships taking a long detour around Africa, with huge additional fuel costs or companies seeking alternative land and air routes.
The Israeli economy is suffering greatly, partially due to the blockade imposed by the Houthis. The Israeli Central Bank estimated the cost of the war at around $56 billion.
Unemployment rates sharply rose in just the first month of the war alone, reaching 9.6%.
The Houthis as Enforcers of International Law!
According to the report’s description, the Western discourse against the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, was full of a kind of concession to those who resist Western dictates understood immediately by non-Western audiences.
The website added that countries that signed the United Nations Convention on Genocide are obligated to stop such atrocities in Gaza, the reason that led to damaging the economies of many countries just to insist on the occupation’s war against Gaza.
What further increases the West’s responsibility in stopping the atrocities in Gaza is the historic ruling issued by the International Court of Justice last month, and Israel’s disregard for the decision will enable the Houthis to claim they are acting as enforcers of international law against the rogue state.
