Human Rights Watch Considers Houthi Attacks on Civilian Ships a ‘War Crime’

This handout photograph released by AS J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi on December 12, 2023 shows the Norwegian-flagged chemical tanker the MT Strinda. Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility on December 12, 2023 for a missile strike on the Norwegian-flagged tanker. (Photo by Handout / AS J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi / AFP)
This handout photograph released by AS J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi on December 12, 2023 shows the Norwegian-flagged chemical tanker the MT Strinda. Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility on December 12, 2023 for a missile strike on the Norwegian-flagged tanker. (Photo by Handout / AS J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi / AFP)
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Human Rights Watch Considers Houthi Attacks on Civilian Ships a ‘War Crime’

This handout photograph released by AS J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi on December 12, 2023 shows the Norwegian-flagged chemical tanker the MT Strinda. Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility on December 12, 2023 for a missile strike on the Norwegian-flagged tanker. (Photo by Handout / AS J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi / AFP)
This handout photograph released by AS J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi on December 12, 2023 shows the Norwegian-flagged chemical tanker the MT Strinda. Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility on December 12, 2023 for a missile strike on the Norwegian-flagged tanker. (Photo by Handout / AS J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi / AFP)

The Houthi armed group that controls part of Yemen has targeted several commercial ships carrying civilian crews in the Red Sea over the last few weeks, Human Rights Watch said.

The attacks constitute targeting of civilians and civilian objects, which, if carried out deliberately or recklessly, would be a war crime, it said.

The five ships are not military objects; all five are commercial vessels with civilian crews. The Houthis have not presented any evidence to demonstrate that anything on board of the ships could have constituted military objects.

“The Houthis are claiming that they’re carrying out attacks on behalf of Palestinians, when the reality is that they’re attacking, arbitrarily detaining, and endangering civilians on ship crews who have zero connection to any known military target,” said Michael Page, Middle East and North Africa deputy director at Human Rights Watch.

“The Houthis should immediately release the hostages and end their attacks on civilians caught in the crosshairs of their declared war on Israel.”

The 25-person crew of Galaxy Leader has still not been released. Human Rights Watch spoke to sources who said it is unclear whether the crew is being held hostage or is being arbitrarily detained, as the Houthis have not made clear why they continue to hold the men.

Taking hostages is prohibited under international humanitarian law, including under Common Article 3 to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, and is a war crime. Hostage-taking is detaining a person while threatening to kill, injure, or continuing to detain the person to compel a third party to do or abstain from any act as a condition for the hostage’s release or safety.

A Houthi spokesperson, Mohammed Abdulsalam, stated on X that Houthis’ seizure of the vessel was “only the beginning” of its fighters waging “battle at sea.”

Though the Houthis have said that the ship is Israeli, the ship is British-owned and Japanese-operated and was bound for India when it was captured. The Houthis have presented no evidence of military targets on board.

The parent company of the UK company that owns the ship is owned by an Israeli businessman, but this does not make the ship a legitimate military target.

All three vessels are commercial ships and were carrying civilian crews from several countries. None of the ships were bound for Israel.

The Houthis claimed that the ship was carrying oil to Israel. However, the owner of the company said that the ship was carrying palm oil to Italy.

Evidence reviewed by Human Rights Watch, including Houthi statements, indicates that the Houthis knew or should have known that the four ships they attacked were commercial vessels carrying civilians and that they were not in any way a military target.

Under international humanitarian law, it is forbidden in any circumstance to carry out direct attacks against civilians.

Warring parties are obligated to take all feasible precautions to avoid harm to civilians. They must take all necessary action to verify that targets are military objectives.

A person who commits serious violations of the laws of war with criminal intent—that is, intentionally or recklessly—may be prosecuted for war crimes. Individuals may also be held criminally liable for assisting in, facilitating, aiding, or abetting a war crime.

On December 9, Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi stated that “Israel will act” if the international community does not respond to the Houthis’ attacks in the Red Sea.

The United States and the United Kingdom have accused Iran of having been involved in the attacks.

The spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani, has stated that the Houthis, as well as “resistance groups in the region,” are not attacking Israel based on orders from Iran.

The UN Panel of Experts on Yemen previously found that Iran has “failed to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer” of arms.

Since the Houthis took over Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, they have carried out widespread violations of international humanitarian law and civilian harm, including likely war crimes, indiscriminately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure, forcibly disappearing civilians, and laying an abusive siege to Taiz city in the southwest of Yemen.

“The Houthis still have not taken responsibility for the civilian harm that they have caused to those living in Yemen,” Page said. “Rather than carrying out new war crimes, they should focus on achieving a durable peace in their country.”



Regional, Int’l Efforts Underway to Launch UN-Sponsored Political Process in Yemen

Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi receives US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking and Washington’s ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin. (Saba)
Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi receives US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking and Washington’s ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin. (Saba)
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Regional, Int’l Efforts Underway to Launch UN-Sponsored Political Process in Yemen

Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi receives US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking and Washington’s ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin. (Saba)
Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi receives US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking and Washington’s ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin. (Saba)

Intense diplomatic efforts have been underway in the Saudi capital Riyadh to launch a comprehensive UN-sponsored political process in Yemen.

Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi received US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking and Washington’s ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin.

Lenderking briefed the Yemeni leadership on the diplomatic efforts underway to ease tensions in Yemen and launch the political process.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Fagin said the Riyadh meeting was “productive”, revealing that it focused on the economy and limiting the escalation by the Iran-backed Houthi militias.

The terrorist Houthis continue to undermine regional security and peace, he stated.

For his part, Alimi underlined the legitimate Yemeni government’s commitment to just peace in line with the national, regional and international references, especially UN Security Council resolution 2216.

The meeting tackled the “urgency of stopping Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, preventing Iranian weapons from reaching the Houthis, and advancing diplomatic efforts to find a durable end to the conflict in Yemen,” said the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs on the X platform.

Lenderking briefed Alimi on the potential regional and international changes in wake of the results of the US presidential election and the options to push the terrorist Houthis to positively deal with UN efforts to launch the political process, reported Yemen’s Saba news agency.

They also tackled bilateral relations between Yemen and the US and ways to bolster them in all fields, as well as American support for the Yemeni economy.

Alimi underscored the need to intensify international efforts to implement the Security Council resolution on the embargo of sending Iranian arms to the Houthis.

Fagin also held a meeting with Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber, who described the talks as “productive”.

The officials reviewed the developments in Yemen and the Red Sea and joint efforts to support the legitimate government and brotherly Yemeni people, Jaber added.

They also tackled means to support the UN envoy’s efforts to maintain calm and reach a comprehensive political solution, he went on to say.