Houthi Leaders Give Russia, China Guaranteed Safe Passage Through Red Sea—Here's Why

Houthi leaders gave Russia and China a guaranteed safe passage through the Red Sea. This means that Russian and Chinese vessels are very different from what other commercial ships go through.

As of writing, the U.S., the U.K., and other Western countries are still making efforts to protect commercial vessels from the attacks of Houthi rebels.

Houthi Leaders Give Russia, China Guaranteed Safe Passage Through Red Sea—Here's Why — (Photo: AFP via Getty Images) A picture taken during an organized tour by Yemen's Huthi rebels on November 22, 2023, shows the Galaxy Leader cargo ship, seized by Huthi fighters two days earlier, at a port on the Red Sea in Yemen's province of Hodeida.

Aside from them, Israeli ships are also at risk of getting attacked. Because of this, the Red Sea blockage by Houthi rebels has been nothing but bad news for commercial vessels.

However, Russia and China are benefiting from this activity of the Yemeni militant organization. But, why do Houthi leaders allow Russian and Chinese vessels to safely pass through the Red Sea?

Houthi Leaders Give Russia, China Guaranteed Safe Passage Through Red Sea

According to The Maritime Executive's latest report, Houthi leaders promised that Russian and Chinese vessels will not be attacked as they pass through the Red Sea.

"Our goal is to raise the economic costs for [Israel]," said Muhammad al-Buheiti, the Yemeni militant group's spokesperson.

"As for all other countries, including Russia and China, their shipping in the region is not threatened," he added.

Military experts said that Houthi rebels could be allowing Russia and China to safely pass through the region because of political reasons. Both of these super-power nations are known for their criticisms of the security operations of the U.S. and the U.K. in the Red Sea.

Recently, the Russian Foreign Ministry even called the anti-Houthi naval mission a risk to regional stability. Aside from this, the ministry also warned that this security effort is violating Article 2 of the UN Charter.

Aside from this, China and Russia are against Israel's military activities in the Gaza Strip. This means that all their stances align with the Houthis' demands.

Why US Can't Easily Stop Houthis' Attacks

Many people consider the U.S. the most powerful nation in the world. Now, just imagine the United States working with other powerful Western countries, such as the U.K., against their enemies.

However, no matter how powerful they are, they can't easily stop the attacks of Houthis. Business Insider provided the three main reasons why the West can't stop Houthis' attacks in the Red Sea:

Political: Houthis claim that they are only attacking Israeli ships because of the war in the Gaza Strip. They are also supported by Iran, China, and Russia.
Geography: The Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, is considered to be the best shortcut for sea travel between the U.S. East Coast or Europe to East Asia and India.
Technology: Houthis can easily operate advanced anti-ship weapons, such as the Chinese-made C-802. Aside from this, these Yemeni rebels can also purchase cheap drones to attack commercial ships.