Report: Houthis agreed not to attack Chinese and Russian ships

The Yemen-based Houthis have told China and Russia their ships can sail through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden without being attacked, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing several people with knowledge of the group’s discussions.

According to the report, China and Russia reached an understanding following talks between their diplomats in Oman and Mohammed Abdel Salam, one of the Houthis’ top political figures.

In exchange, the two countries may provide political support to the Houthis in bodies such as the UB Security Council, the sources told Bloomberg. It is not entirely clear how that support would be manifested, but it could include blocking more resolutions against the group.

Spokespeople for the governments of China and Russia, as well as the Houthis, including Abdel Salam, did not reply to Bloomberg’s requests for comment.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have upped their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza as a show of support for Palestinian Arabs.

In the wake of the uptick in Houthi attacks, the US formed a coalition, made up of more than 20 countries, aimed at safeguarding commercial traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis.

In mid-January, with support from other countries, the US and Britain targeted just under 30 Houthi locations with 150 different weapons. The two countries have continued to strike Houthi targets since.

Bloomberg reported that while the Houthis say they’re targeting ships linked to Israel, the US and UK, they appear to have misidentified some vessels and Russia and China may have wanted stronger assurances from the group.

Since the attacks started, most Western shipping firms have avoided the strait and are instead going around southern Africa. Companies from China and Russia haven’t announced they’re avoiding the area and ship-tracking data shows many of them still send their ships through it, noted the Bloomberg report.

Both China and Russia are diplomatic and economic partners of the Houthis’ main military and financial backer, Iran, which has said it supports the Houthis but that they make their own decisions on political and military matters.

Despite Iran’s claims, in January, it was reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has taken a personal role in the Houthis’ Red Sea blockade, supporting the further provision of weapons and equipment to the rebels.