Brussels (HRNW)-\u00a0The European Union\u2019s maritime mission, Espedes, has warned commercial vessels and shipping companies affiliated with Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia to avoid sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden near Yemen.<\/p>\n
According to the World News Agency, the European maritime mission said in its latest warning issued on Wednesday that the threat level has been declared high for all vessels affiliated with Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
The statement said that this warning is not limited to vessels flying the flags of these countries but also applies to vessels from any country that has recently docked at a Saudi port to load or unload goods.<\/p>\n
The European maritime mission added that such vessels may be considered by the Houthis to be associated with Saudi interests and could therefore become potential targets for Houthi forces.<\/p>\n
The Espedes mission has advised these vessels to minimize their electronic presence by limiting unnecessary transmissions of trackers and automatic identification systems to make it more difficult to track their movements.<\/p>\n
The warning comes after the Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen announced a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.<\/p>\n
Iran has previously announced restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while requiring certain commercial vessels to obtain prior permission.<\/p>\n
The Bab al-Mandab Strait is one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, carrying significant volumes of oil and commercial goods between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.<\/p>\n
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