UN Condemns Houthi Ship Strikes Amid Gaza War \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The UN Security Council extended monitoring of Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping until January 2026. While 12 members voted in favor, Russia, China, and Algeria abstained, citing U.S. airstrikes on Yemen. The attacks are linked to the Gaza war, with growing global concern over maritime security.
Quick Looks
- UN renews Red Sea reporting mandate through January 2026
- Resolution backed by U.S. and Greece, passed 12-0 with 3 abstentions
- Abstaining nations cite U.S. airstrikes violating Yemen’s sovereignty
- Houthi attacks linked to Gaza conflict and anti-Israel stance
- Two civilian cargo ships sunk, crews killed or kidnapped
- U.S. condemns Houthis as Iran-backed terrorist threat
- Russia, China, Algeria say Gaza must be acknowledged
- Global maritime security and trade routes remain at risk
Deep Look
In response to a continued series of violent attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial ships in the Red Sea, the United Nations Security Council voted Tuesday to extend its reporting mandate on the crisis until January 15, 2026. The measure passed with 12 votes in favor and three abstentions—Russia, China, and Algeria—all of whom expressed concern over recent U.S. military operations in Yemen that they argue undermine the country’s sovereignty.
The resolution, co-sponsored by the United States and Greece, reinforces the Security Council’s demand for an immediate halt to Houthi attacks, while requiring UN Secretary-General António Guterres to continue providing monthly updates. This decision reflects the ongoing global anxiety over the safety of one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes.
The Trump administration has launched several airstrikes against Houthi positions in recent months, citing the group’s persistent threat to maritime commerce and its aggressive stance toward Israel. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, have framed their attacks as a response to the ongoing war in Gaza, positioning themselves as defenders of Palestinians against Israeli military operations.
Acting U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to maritime security and blamed the Houthis for recent deadly attacks on civilian cargo vessels, including the MV Magic Seas and the MV Eternity C. Both ships were sunk, several seafarers were killed, and the Eternity C’s crew was kidnapped.
“These unprovoked terrorist attacks are a direct threat to freedom of navigation and regional economic stability,” Shea said. She added that the Houthis’ actions defy international norms and called for the immediate release of the Eternity C crew members.
Greece’s UN Ambassador, Evangelos Sekeris, echoed similar concerns, warning that continued instability in the Red Sea could jeopardize global supply chains. He stressed the broader economic implications, pointing out that maritime trade depends heavily on secure passage through the region.
“If the Red Sea region—an international maritime artery—becomes more degraded, the global economy will face higher security risks and deeper uncertainty,” Sekeris cautioned.
The abstentions from Russia, China, and Algeria underscored divisions within the Council regarding how to balance security concerns with questions of sovereignty and regional geopolitics. Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky explained that his country’s abstention stemmed from what he described as a misuse of previous UN language to justify U.S. and allied airstrikes on Houthi-controlled Yemeni territory.
“We are convinced that solutions in and around Yemen must be pursued through diplomacy, not force,” Polyansky said.
China’s Deputy Ambassador Geng Shuang echoed that sentiment, saying the military strikes by “certain countries” have inflamed tensions and undermined peace efforts. He also linked the Red Sea crisis directly to the ongoing Gaza war, asserting that the international community’s failure to halt Israeli operations against Hamas has contributed to the Houthis’ actions.
Algeria, currently the Arab representative on the Security Council, also abstained from the vote and issued a strong critique of the resolution’s omission of Gaza. Deputy Ambassador Toufik Koudri called it a glaring oversight that ignored “one of the catalytic factors” behind the Houthis’ escalation.
“The Council cannot overlook the connection between the Red Sea attacks and the aggression against Palestinians in Gaza,” Koudri said, referencing what he described as “brutal massacres” of civilians.
Since Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, the Houthi rebels have declared solidarity with Palestinians and increased their missile and drone attacks on military and civilian vessels near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and into the Red Sea. They have claimed these actions are part of a broader resistance against Israel and its allies.
The United States, under the Trump administration, has responded with coordinated military action, targeting radar sites, drone depots, and weapons caches used by the Houthis. These strikes have been conducted in coordination with a growing multinational maritime coalition aimed at safeguarding international shipping routes.
The renewed UN reporting mechanism represents a diplomatic compromise between those advocating for decisive action against Houthi aggression and those urging restraint and diplomacy in respect of Yemeni sovereignty and broader regional tensions. However, without a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza and renewed peace talks in Yemen, few believe the violence in the Red Sea will abate anytime soon.
As geopolitical tensions deepen and Red Sea shipping remains under threat, the world’s attention is increasingly focused on the dangerous intersection of two ongoing conflicts—Israel-Gaza and Yemen—that now threaten the global economy through disruption of one of its key maritime arteries.
UN Condemns Houthi UN Condemns Houthi
You must Register or Login to post a comment.