Yemen Monitor/ Tokyo/ Exclusive
Foreign ministers of the Quad group on Monday condemned the continued attacks launched by the Houthis against international and commercial ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The joint statement came after talks between the foreign ministers of the US, Japan, Australia, and India. Penny Wong of Australia, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan’s Yoko Kamikawa, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held the meeting in Tokyo, Japan.
“We condemn the continued attacks perpetrated by the Houthis against international and commercial ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” said the joint statement of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting.
The statement added that “these attacks destabilize the region, impede the rights and freedoms of navigation and commercial flows, and endanger the safety of ships and persons on board, including seafarers.”
Since the end of last year, the Houthis have been targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and recently expanded their operations to the Indian Ocean. They said they are targeting ships linked to Israel, which is launching a brutal attack on Gaza Strip. However, the Yemeni government and experts say the Houthis’ goals are domestic to escape from internal crises and improve their image in the region.
In response, the US and Britain have been launching airstrikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi militants since January 11. As a result, the Houthis announced the expansion of their operations to include US and British ships.
