Meanwhile, the Red Sea is experiencing increasing tensions following military operations carried out by the Houthi militia to target ships heading to Israel (occupied Palestine) as a result of the repercussions related to the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, as well as the violations and genocide the Palestinian people subjected to at the hand of Israeli occupation.

  

Last November 19, the Houthi militia announced its control of a commercial ship owned by an Israeli businessman called the GALAXY LEADER, and since that incident Houthi announcements have continued to target and detain a number of ships In the Red Sea, including a Norwegian ship and a Japanese ship that were on their way to Israel.

The Houthi escalation resulted In a similar American escalation through the announcement of the establishment of a new international coalition to protect international navigation in the Red Sea under the name “Operation Prosperity Guardian,” which Is a multinational military force formed to protect International trade in the Red Sea In response to the ongoing Houthi threats to target ships bound for Israel. This American-led “Operation Prosperity Guardian,” includeincludees Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.

Between the Houthi escalation in the Red Sea and the similar escalation by America, Britain, France and other countries that announced their joining of the “Operation Prosperity Guardian,” that was formed to protect international navigation in the Red Sea, the question now is: What are the gains and losses that Israel suffered as a result of the Houthi attacks? What are the repercussions resulting from the Houthi attacks and the international militarization of the Red Sea?

Trade exchange with Israel:

Between downplaying and exaggerating the actions of the Houthi militia in the Red Sea, economic reports have emerged confirming that Israel’s trade exchange is concentrated more with European and American countries and to a lesser extent with some African countries. This is what made experts reduce any effects of the Houthi attacks on Israel and navigation in the Red Sea and they stressed at the same time that this had no significant impact on the course of the war in Gaza.

According to the Yemeni researcher and politician, Abdel Nasser Al-Muwaddaa, Israel uses the Red Sea In its trade with Asia, East and Southeast Africa, and Australia, and that the volume of Israeli trade with these regions is much less than its trade with the rest of the world, specifically Europe and the American continents.

Al-Muwaddaa stated that the volume of maritime navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait does not exceed 12% of the volume of International trade, and that the parties that benefit most from It are Europe and Asia. As for America, most of its trade with Asia or the Middle East passes through Cape of Good Hope and not through the Red Sea.

In this context, al-Muwaddaa noted that ships passing through the Red Sea to and from Israel can change their route and go via the Cape of Good Hope, and this will add a period of 3 weeks to the travel time that they used to take in crossing through the Red Sea and add a small percentage to the cost of trade to and from. Israel, no more than $100 million per month. This amount is considered small for a country In a state of major war whose direct and Indirect costs may exceed $10 billion, according to him.

Closing Bab al-Mandab:

From time to time, Al-Houthi threatens to close Bab al-Mandab until the Israeli aggression on Gaza Is stopped, although experts confirm that closing Bab al-Mandab to ships heading to Israel will not cause any economic damage to Israel, and no figures have even been recorded as losses for It as a result of not relying on the sea. Red as an essential corridor for trade exchange between It and America and Europe, whichh depend on it for their exports and imports.

On the contrary, Al Jazeera revealed, citing the Hebrew Channel 12, the extent of the damage caused by the Houthi militia’s attacks on the occupation interests in the Red Sea in the Israeli port of Eilat, noting that the activity of the port of Eilat has declined by 85% since the beginning of the attacks. Houthis in the Red Sea.

According to the channel, the Houthi attacks on ships linked to the occupation or heading towards Israeli ports In the Red Sea caused paralysis In the port of Eilat after major shipping companies around the world suspended their transit through Bab al-Mandab. The Israeli port of Ashdod acknowledged last Tuesday that the attacks launched by the Houthi militia on commercial ships represent a strategic threat to global shipping routes and maritime traffic to Israel, despite the lack of a direct Impact on the activity of Israeli ports.

This comes at a time when Israel depends on maritime traffic for its imports and exports at the port of Ashdod In the south and Haifa in the north, whichh are the two largest ports In Israel (occupied Palestine). Meanwhile, the smaller port of Ashkelon, the closest to Gaza, remains closed since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which was launched by the Palestinian resistance led by the Ezz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Hamas movement) on October 7th.

Who is the beneficiary?

With increasing tension in the Red Sea as a result of the Houthis targeting ships heading to Israel, there remains a question: Who benefits from these operations and the repercussions produced by the Houthi escalation?, whether at the regional or International level, in addition to the effects this has on stopping the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.

In this regard, observers believe that the biggest loser from the tension in the Red Sea Is Egypt, specifically the Suez Canal, as the head of the Suez Canal confirmed, last Sunday, that 55 ships diverted towards the Cape of Good Hope corridor since last November 19, since the escalation of Houthi attacks on International navigation in the Red Sea.

In a statement published on the Suez Canal Authority’s website, Lieutenant General Osama Askar, head of the Suez Canal, said that 55 ships were diverted to transit through the Cape of Good Hope route, during the period from last November 19, which is a small percentage compared to the crossing of 2,128 ships during that period.

There is no doubt that Egypt will be the first to be harmed by the diversion of ships to the Cape of Good Hope, because this deprives it of transit fees In the Suez Canal. Assuming that a quarter of the ships that were passing through the canal changed their route, this means that Egypt’s loss could reach $200 million per month, according to economic estimates.

Economists believe that America is not harmed by the obstruction of navigation in the Red Sea, and that those harmed most are the European countries, China, India, Egypt, and the oil and gas exporting countries (the Gulf states and Iran). However, the risks to the Zionist entity lie If the risks in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait continue and expose sea trade and Israeli ships to the risks of detention, whereas the alternative will be air or land transportation, and this means higher costs, which will reflect negatively on Israel’s foreign trade.

Also, Yemen's trade through the Red Sea ports will be the biggest loser from the Houthi attacks, because insurance fees for ships entering these ports will be double, in addition to the fact that many shipping companies will refuse to go to those ports, either for fear of attacks or to punish the Houthis for their attacks. According to observers, the result of this act will be that Yemenis will suffer from the rise in commodity prices.

Militarization of the Red Sea:

Since the Houthi announcement of the seizure of the first ship in the Red Sea that was on Its way to Israel on the nineteenth of last November, and the subsequent rush towards targeting international navigation in Bab al-Mandab, no direct impact has appeared on Israel and prompted It to stop the aggression against Gaza.

The only thing that was reflected in the Houthi targeting of international navigation lies In the militarization of Bab al-Mandab, the region, and giving justification for the major world powers to station themselves near Yemeni waters under the pretext of protecting trade In the Red Sea, whichh aims primarily to protect Israel and militarize the Red Sea, as well as the negative effects on the security of International navigation.

In this regard, the US Department of Defense, the Pentagon, issued orders last Saturday to move the aircraft carrier Eisenhower from Its base in Bahrain to the Gulf of Aden and to extend the operation of the aircraft carrier Ford for the third time in the eastern Mediterranean.

According to Western media, the Eisenhower aircraft carrier was scheduled to remain at the Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain, but It was moved a few days ago towards the waters of the Gulf of Aden In the context of the American move towards militarizing the Red Sea to confront what It considers Houthi threats to international navigation in Bab al-Mandab.

In conclusion, the Houthi attacks will not affect the progress of the Israeli plans regarding Its attacks on Gaza In any way, while the Yemenis are the biggest losers because Insurance fees for ships entering these ports will double, In addition to the fact that many shipping companies will refuse to go to those ports. This may lead to higher prices and deteriorating living conditions for citizens. In addition, the Egyptian people will also suffer from the consequences of the Houthi operations in the Red Sea and will bear a large part of the bill for these Houthi riots that only serve the enemies of the Arab and Islamic nation.