The dramatic escalation between Israel and Iran has sidelined the most significant disruption of global energy trade over the last year. Since mid-November 2023, the Houthi have launched dozens of attacks to commercial vessels, firing missiles and drones towards ships transiting the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and surrounding areas. They also aimed multiple times at Israel’s territory, including during the night of April 13th, along with Teheran’s barrage.
However, the Yemenis Islamist group is much more than just a proxy of Iran. The cunning strategy adopted to target vessels has led the West, and particularly Europe, to realise the conspicuous threat represented by disruptions to energy flows in vital chokepoints. Around 15% of global trade passes through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal handles 12% of world trade. A great share of this volume consists of crude, oil products and liquefied natural gas (LNG). But, how a die-hard faction of a ten-year Civil War has in fact re-shaped energy geopolitics in a matter of just a few weeks?
Controlling only a portion of Yemen, the Houthi have been able to resist a Saudi- and UAE (United Arab Emirates)-led coalition in a prolonged war causing one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. Encroaching into Western Yemen and in a perfect position to oversee the maritime traffic through the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Houthis have launched their challenge to th
