On Wednesday, the UN Security Council issued a demand for the immediate cessation of attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthis.
The council also cautioned against escalating tensions and implicitly supported a US-led task force responsible for safeguarding vessels.
The resolution, which received the support of eleven members, called on the Houthis to release the Galaxy Leader, a Japanese-operated vehicle carrier seized by the group on November 19, along with its 25-person crew.
The resolution stressed the imperative for the Houthis to cease all attacks that hinder global commerce, impede navigational rights and freedoms, and jeopardize regional peace.
While none of the Security Council members voted against the resolution, four, including Russia and China with veto power, abstained.
A crucial aspect of the resolution, put forth by the US and Japan, affirmed the right of UN member states, in accordance with international law, to defend their vessels from attacks that undermine navigational rights and freedoms.
