Editorial | Air strikes on Houthis only escalate tensions as UN pursues peace
- As war between Israel and Gaza rages, US and British attacks on Yemen in Red Sea showdown risk spreading the conflict further
Fears of conflict spreading in the Middle East have grown with the United States and Britain retaliating for intensified attacks on Red Sea shipping by Iranian-backed Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. The two allies said they had launched air strikes at military targets in the country.
It is a dangerous escalation of tensions inflamed by Israel’s invasion of Gaza and the inhuman toll of Palestinian civilians. All parties need to stand back and cooperate with UN peace efforts.
China called on the Houthis to abide by a Security Council resolution condemning their actions, but in the end it abstained from the vote on it. Zhang Jun, China’s ambassador to the United Nations, said this was because of fears the resolution would not be able to achieve its intended effect or could even lead to greater trouble in the Middle East.
The Iranian-backed Houthis vow that as long as Israeli forces remain in Gaza as part of their campaign to wipe out Hamas militants responsible for the deadly October 7 assault on Israel, the rebels will continue their attacks on shipping through the Red Sea, a passage that channels about 12 per cent of global trade, which includes about 62 per cent of China’s oil and 17 per cent of its natural gas imports.
The Houthi attacks have forced carriers, including China’s Cosco Shipping, to bypass the route and divert around the Cape of Good Hope, making it more expensive.
