Security
Houthi attacks in Gulf of Aden highlight rising threats to maritime security
Iran-backed Houthi militias continue targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea corridor, disrupting global trade and increasing risks for international shipping through one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.
![The British Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a security incident involving a ship east of Aden, where the captain heard an explosion and water splashing near the vessel. [UKMTO X account]](/gc1/images/2025/10/02/52134-uk_mtojpg-600_384.webp)
By Faisal Abu Bakr |
The Houthis’ latest maritime attacks in the Gulf of Aden are cutting off Yemenis from critical humanitarian aid and life-saving assistance.
Rather than protecting the people they claim to represent, the group’s actions only deepen suffering and isolation.
In the most recent strike, a missile launched by the Iranian-backed militant group set a Dutch-flagged cargo ship ablaze on Monday (September 30), injuring two sailors and forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.
Just days earlier, on September 23, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an explosion near a ship about 120 nautical miles east of Aden.
The vessel’s captain said he heard the blast and saw water splash close to the ship.
"The recent attack on a tanker in the Gulf of Aden is part of a strategy being advanced by Iran proxies in the region, represented by the Houthi militias," said Fares al-Najjar, an economic advisor to the Yemeni President’s office.
Houthi attacks on commercial shipping have been ongoing since November 2023, forcing vessels to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope.
"These attacks also pose a threat to maritime security in the Suez Canal, a vital waterway for global trade," al-Najjar added.
Shipping through the canal accounts for 12 to 15 percent of global trade and 30 percent of container traffic, equivalent to more than $1 trillion in goods annually, according to a March 2025 Atlantic Council report.
Iran’s role in empowering Houthi
Support from the Iranian regime has significantly strengthened the Houthis, transforming them from a localized militia into a regional threat.
"Iran has played a key role in transforming the Houthis from a local group with limited capabilities into a military force capable of threatening regional security," political analyst Faisal Ahmed told Al-Fassel.
This support includes supplying advanced weapons, technical expertise, and training in missile and drone operations, according to the 2024 UN Security Council Panel of Experts report.
The Houthis lack radar technology to independently identify and target ships, relying on Iranian intelligence to locate vessels transiting the Red Sea.
Ahmed emphasized that Tehran uses the Houthis to expand regional influence and exert pressure along critical maritime routes, including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
"The Iranian regime’s support for the Houthis seeks to create levers of pressure in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, threatening global trade routes," he said.
The attack on the Gulf of Aden underscores the ongoing risk posed by Houthi militias to international shipping, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated security efforts to safeguard this crucial corridor and maintain regional stability.