There is an Unequivocal Truth about the Houthis

The USS Mason, a destroyer that intercepted missiles from the Houthis. Credit: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service

Edits were made to this article on Feb. 6 to ensure it follows AP Style guidelines.

A peculiar video emerged on social media in late November 2023. It shows a helicopter landing on a cargo ship, with several armed militants exiting and taking control from crew members. Posted by the Twitter account of the spokesman for the Houthis, it is footage from their hijacking of the Galaxy Leader, which was in the Red Sea and heading to Turkey from India. The group would use the video as propaganda, claiming the ship was connected to Israel and turning it into a tourist destination.

If you believe the propaganda uncritically, your conclusion may be that the Houthis are a resistance force fighting valiantly for the Palestinians by preventing Israeli-connected ships from bringing materials to continue the operation in Gaza. In reality, none of this is true; the Galaxy Leader is a Japanese-operated ship not landing in Israel that had no cargo on it. Regardless, the replies to the video are filled with praise, and many on social media have loudly pronounced their support of what is indisputable violence against civilian sailors and ships.

The Houthis are the most potent armed force in Yemen, a fractured country battered by a nearly decade-long civil war. They are one of several armed forces that obtains much of its military equipment from Iran, which often backs groups founded by Shi’ite Muslims. In this case, it is also for geopolitical gain, as the Houthis have waged a years-long war against Iran’s rival Saudi Arabia. They are also a force that can be wielded against Israel, another adversary it often conflicts with.

This context is important when determining the Houthis’ objectives. They are not intervening for humanitarian purposes, and there is no concern for the Gazan civilians. The goal is to create a sense of fear among those doing vital work in international trade to spark a reaction from Iran’s adversaries and justify their belligerence. Many online have already dismissed the attacks as nothing more than an interruption of the capitalist system and that it was “bloodless.” The lack of direct death by the attacks is no excuse for violence or piracy, and the interruption of shipping may indirectly lead to death elsewhere.

Security of the world’s waterways and freedom of navigation are massively important in a globalized world. Without secure commerce, many of the goods that billions of people rely on will not arrive at their destinations. As much as 15% of the global grain trade passes through the Suez Canal, and interruptions mean vital resources do not get to people who may need it. The Houthis’ attacks not only put people in other parts of the world at risk, but they also deeply hurt the Yemenis already experiencing mass hardship due to the civil war. A joint statement of 26 aid groups working in Yemen noted that the escalation in hostilities caused by the attacks would result in “delays in shipments of lifesaving goods.” 

The only path forward in solving this problem is to recognize the Houthis’ actions for what it is: violence on the high seas. As noted by Human Rights Watch, direct attacks on civilians are a violation of international law, and the Houthis were well aware that these ships are not military targets. Contrary to their claims, none of the ships they have fired at or hijacked were headed to Israel, and the only ones linked to the nation were a couple that were part-owned by Israeli businessmen.

In response to the attacks, the U.S., the U.K. and several other countries have created a coalition to disable the Houthis’ ability to carry them out. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, targets would include missile and drone launch sites as well as radar depots that enable them to detect ships. Coalition ships have also been intercepting anti-ship ballistic missiles launched by the militant group.

Despite the Houthis’ propagandic claims, there is no justification for hijacking civilian ships ensuring that people get the goods they need. They are not conducting these attacks for the sake of human rights, they are terrorizing innocent sailors of numerous countries in an attempt to drag the United States into a wider regional conflict. We must not lose our sense of responsibility for the protection of innocent people in the fog of war even as we grapple with the tragedies of the Israel-Hamas war, lest we lose all vision for a less violent world.