The last few days have seen a great deal of excitement in the area around the Bab-el-Mandeb,1 the strait that separates Yemen from Somalia at the southern end of the Red Sea.
The Bab-el-Mandeb is a vital chokepoint for global sea commerce, sitting astride the path between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Something like 9% of the world's seaborne oil trade passes through, along with huge numbers of container ships and bulk carriers. And unfortunately for those who would very much like these vessels to pass unhindered, it happens to be adjacent to some of the most unstable countries on Earth. 15 years ago, the main threat in the region was piracy from Somalia, which was brought under control via a combination of naval patrols, better anti-pirate measures aboard merchant ships, and attempts to reduce the pirate population at the source. But as those efforts bore fruit a decade ago, civil war broke out in Yemen and the Houthis, who have been trying to overthrow the previous government and defeat its Saudi patrons, have occasionally lobbed missiles at passing ships. The most notable incident until recently took place in 2016, when catamaran HSV-2 Swift was attacked off the coast of Yemen, prompting the dispatch of destroyers Mason and Nitze. Read more...
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