Introduction
Ever since the October 7th attack happened in Israel, the Middle East had become a potential war zone. Other than the Levant another vulnerable area that became a danger zone was the Red Sea area. Several ships in the regions were diverted away from the Red Sea, following longer routes forcing shipping costs across the world to rise and increasing travel time. Where is the Red Sea?, Why is it important? What is the current conflict in the Red Sea all about?
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Red Sea- History and Relevance
The Red Sea is an important and narrow water body in the Middle East. It lies between the Suez Canal and the Arabian Sea. The Sea is bounded by the African and Asian Continents by the countries of Egypt, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea and Jordan. It is connected to the Mediterranean Sea in the north via the Suez Canal and to the Gulf of Aden by Bab-Al-Mandab. In short, the Red Sea separates the Middle East and Africa. Although, the Rea Sea is geographically very small its significance cannot be understated.
Historically, Egyptians and Arabs had the most control of the Red Sea. This was also the waterbody that allowed several religions to flourish across the world through maritime routes like Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Suez Canal, a colonial product which is the most important commercial component of the Red Sea was built in the 19th century. Most of the ships are destined for East Asia, South East Asia, and South Asia.
Big cities such as Aden, Jeddah, Sharm Al Sheikh, Suez, Hodeidah, etc. are located on the coast of the Red Sea. It is also the lifeline of Egypt as Suez Canal is one of its revenue sources and it is one of the busiest shipping lanes. Suez Canal is the shortest maritime route between Europe and Asia, hence it's one of the most strategically important regions in the world. 22% of the World's Trade passes through the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. The Canal provided $9.4 billion in the fiscal year 2022-23 as foreign currency revenue for Egypt amounting to 2.3% of its GDP. Apart from this, the Red Sea is well known for its coral reefs and fisheries. It is also regarded as one of the hottest and saltiest water bodies in the world.
The Red Sea is located in a volatile region surrounded by political instability and geopolitical tensions. The Yemeni Civil War, the case of Somalian Pirates, the civil war in Sudan as well as the spillover of the Israel-Palestine conflict in the past have made this region extremely volatile. In 1956, France, Israel, and the UK fought with Egypt over the Suez Canal. The contemporary situation presents a unique case for geopolitics, maritime security and international trade.
Current Situation
Houthi rebels are in control of large parts of Northern Yemen which also shares a coastal area that falls in the Red Sea area. They have shown their support to Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip. Both being Iranian-backed groups and engaged in proxy war, no doubt both are morally supporting each other.
Houthi rebels have been targeting vessels and ships passing through the Bab al Mandab Strait. They have claimed, that they are targeting ships en route to Israel and also ships which have ties to Israel or the USA. These are claims of Houthis and it's a fact that they have targeted multiple ships which do not have any connections with Israel as well. They have been using drones and missiles to attack the ships. A lot of the Pirates and Hostile groups have also taken advantage of the situation and have taken crew members hostage. Both issues are disconnected and different but both are taking advantage of each other.
In the early months of 2024, International Trade had hit an all-time low. Trade routes across the world such as the Panama Canal, Black Sea, and Suez Canal saw massive disruptions. In addition, the targeting of the ships has been forced indirectly as they are not choosing this route to avoid conflict. Egypt is seeing falling revenue as ships do not pass through the Suez Canal. There is no doubt that Houthis will be happy to see Egypt suffer because it is supporting Israel (by not doing anything). The ships are now forced to take longer routes pushing up the shipping costs and driving inflation across the world. The ships are now back to the pre-Suez era where they have to circle the continent of Africa via Cape of Good Hope to enter the Indian Ocean.
What is being done?
US Central Command which oversees the Middle East has said that its guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) shot down 14 drones launched by Houthis. United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain have formed an alliance shaking hands with the US and are involved in the security operations known as "Operation Prosperity Guardian". Saudi Arabia for years has been trying to attack Houthi targets in Yemen.
When foreign vessels were attacked by pirates, the Indian Navy took the responsibility to safeguard the shipping lanes. Indian Navy was quick in sending INS Kochi and INS Kolkata on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden. Indian Navy had deployed several ships to prevent piracy. India is doing it independently but with collaboration and working together with regional players. India hasn't joined the US-led forces that deal with this problem. India traditionally had been ahead of other countries in the happenings of the region. Through geographical advantage, India can play a major role in tackling non-traditional challenges.
The more the issues in this region, more will be the external involvement. If the USA intervenes today it is because of its power and power projection as a hegemon. If not the USA, countries like China will be happy to intervene. Countries like India have shown their interest in the region as well and may continue to do more operations as it enhances its credibility and soft power.
Conclusion
The Red Sea is one of the most economically important water bodies in the world. With both historic and contemporary importance, this area can be ignored by none. With the escalation of conflict in Gaza, Houthis have successfully targeted ships forcing them to circle Africa creating numerous problems. Countries have stepped in to resolve this problem and may continue to do so in future. The USA, UK, India and many others have directly taken the initiative to resolve a lot of problems in the region.
References
- https://www.politico.eu/article/how-conflict-red-sea-disrupts-global-trade-by-the-numbers-houthis-shipping/
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Red-Sea
- https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2024/03/07/Red-Sea-Attacks-Disrupt-Global-Trade
- https://www.deccanherald.com/world/explained-how-houthi-attacks-in-the-bab-al-mandab-strait-have-hit-global-trade-2817776
- https://www.voanews.com/a/india-deploys-unprecedented-naval-might-near-red-sea/7466220.html
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