International Maritime Organization documents 69 incidents against cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during a year of Houthi attacks

The International Maritime Organization ( IMO ) announced that 69 incidents have occurred against commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, since the Houthi militia began its naval attacks a year ago.

The organization said in its latest report on maritime incidents in the region until November 25: “Since November 19, 2023, we have recorded 69 incidents confirmed by flag states, including acts of piracy against international cargo ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.”

UN statistics indicate that container ships were the most targeted, accounting for 30% of the total incidents, followed by oil tankers and bulk carriers, accounting for 29% each, then general cargo ships, accounting for 10%, in addition to 2% for other ships.

The Maritime Organization indicated that the incidents reported to the UN Security Council are limited to those that meet 3 criteria: “reporting an attack on a ship by naval forces, media, or the coastal state, the Houthis claiming responsibility for the attack, and confirmation of the attack by the ship’s owner or company.”

She stressed that if one of the three criteria is not met, the incident is not documented. In this context, the international organization indicated that 3 attacks occurred during the month of August, and they were confirmed. Because the Houthis did not claim responsibility for the attacks, they were not included in the statistics.

For more than a year, the Iran-backed Houthi militia has been launching drone and missile attacks on cargo ships sailing in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, saying it is in support of Gaza, which has been subjected to a devastating Israeli war since October 7, 2023.

These attacks negatively affected shipping, trade and global supply chains, as many companies resorted to longer routes for safety, and harmed the economies of the Red Sea state.