BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. The European Union naval force Aspides has advised that merchant vessels connected to the US, Israel, or Saudi Arabia should avoid transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, citing an elevated risk of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement.
According to the advisory, “[It] recommends that merchant vessels linked to Israeli, US, or Saudi interests avoid transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until the threat level decreases.”
The Iran-backed Houthis announced on Sunday that they had begun enforcing a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in response to Riyadh’s blockade of Yemen and a reported attack on Yemen’s international airport.
The Saudi government condemned the Houthi move and pledged to take all necessary measures to protect its ships in accordance with international law.
