The fighting in Gaza continues, and the Houthis have been disrupting the Middle East for three months. According to the latest news, on the 18th, a British cargo ship was attacked by the Houthis in the Gulf of Aden, and was seriously damaged, and the crew abandoned ship to escape.
In the face of Houthi attacks, why did the EU refuse to join the so-called "Red Sea escort alliance" formed by the United States? Why is the EU's escort operation in the Red Sea only prevented and not attacked?
Since last November, Houthi groups have carried out at least 34 attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea region.
German Foreign Minister Baerbock:
The entire global economy has taken a hit. It is not only European ships that have repeatedly suffered from Houthi missile attacks in the Red Sea, but the entire international shipping industry. ”
On February 19, 2024, the 27 EU member states gathered in Brussels for a meeting to set up a military mission to protect European merchant ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. When the Houthis attack merchant ships, they take the initiative to intercept them.
Li Shaoxian, Dean of the Institute of Chinese Arab States Studies, Ningxia University:
The EU's escort concept is markedly different from that of the United States, which is offensive and the EU is defensive. ”
The operation is tentatively scheduled for a year, and the EU fleet will only be used to protect civilian and commercial vessels in the Red Sea region, and will not actively attack Houthi bases in Yemen.
This is not the first time that European countries have sent troops to escort them. In December 2008, EU countries launched the first naval mission in history, "Operation Atlanta", and many countries sent ** and carrier-based *** to protect the safety of shipping in Somalia.
The Red Sea Passage and the Suez Canal typically account for 30% of global container traffic and 12% of the world's maritime transport**, through which the EU's largest share of Asia** passes.
Taking the week of February 5 to 11 this year as an example, due to the influence of the Houthis, the capacity of ships entering the Gulf of Aden in terms of gross tonnage has exceeded 70% compared with the first half of December last year**.
As a result of the Houthi attack in Yemen, a large number of cargo ships and oil tankers would be diverted around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, adding about 6,500 kilometers and 10 to 12 days of sailing time per voyage, and the additional fuel would lead to increased transportation costs. Maersk, the world's second-largest container shipping giant, is advising customers to prepare for a Red Sea crisis that could last until the second half of the year.
For Europe, the Red Sea is a strategic location. Located between the Middle East and Africa, the Red Sea is one of the most important sea lanes connecting Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Professor of Political Science and International Relations, University of Bonn, Germany
The Houthis themselves are still supported by Iran, and from a European perspective, if the Houthis gain power in the entire region, it means that Europe will lose control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait region. ”
Now that the Europeans are once again militarily advancing into the Middle East, what will be the response of the Arabs?
Since last November, Yemen's Houthi rebels have demonstrated solidarity with the Palestinian people by attacking Israeli-linked ships, building an image of courage to stand up to the United States and Israel, and gaining support from the people in the Middle East. Yemeni demonstrators have called on the Houthis to continue to ramp up their offensive against the Red Sea.
On the other hand, the demonstrators also condemned the Red Sea escort plan officially launched by the European Union on the 19th, believing that it could make European ships the target of Houthi attacks, leading to an escalation of the conflict in the Red Sea.
Because the image of the Houthis is often presented in slippers and holding AK-47 rifles or RPG-7 rocket launchers, the outside world also refers to the Houthis as the "slipper army". Recently, the "slipper army" has dared to argue with the powerful US military, and it cannot even be easily "manipulated" by the United States, and it can be said that it has "brushed a wave of presence" in the international community.
In fact, the United States has also taken action against the Houthis, but few have responded.
In mid-December 2023, the United States announced the formation of the "Prosperity Guardian" escort alliance. The United States claims that more than 20 countries are participating in the Red Sea escort operation, but at least eight are unwilling to admit participation. More US media believe that Italy and Spain are interested in keeping a distance from the US "Prosperity Guardian" operation.
Li Yanan, Deputy Director of the Institute of Middle East Studies, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations:
Countries such as France and Italy have openly stated that their fleets accept only their own leadership and are unwilling to accept the leadership of the United States, in order to avoid the problem of losing control. ”
In this Red Sea escort operation, the EU emphasizes that it is only defensive in nature, and has no intention of participating in the US military operation against the Houthis, let alone wants European merchant ships to become targets of the Houthis.
Geographically, Europe is close to the Middle East, and if this round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to develop and the Red Sea crisis continues to ferment, it may affect Europe's economic recovery, and may also cause a new wave of refugees and impact the overall stability of European society.
At present, the situation in the Middle East as a whole is plunged into a complex crisis, and many countries, as well as factions with different interests within the country, each has its own hidden motives.
Li Yanan, Deputy Director of the Institute of Middle East Studies, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations:
Even if the Red Sea crisis subsides, the EU may want to use this opportunity to increase its military presence in the Middle East, and to build a naval presence that is independent of the United States and NATO. “
The situation in the Middle East is changing rapidly, the shadow of the Gaza crisis is still lingering, the Houthis are at loggerheads with the United States, and the conflict between Allah and Israel in Lebanon continues. Will this EU escort heat up the situation in the Middle East again? We will continue to pay attention.
Producer: Zhong Jinmei.
Choreographer: Zhou Zhenghao, Li Wenhui, Zhang Yibo.
Editor: Su Weijia.