Houthis assure EU they will not target European ships in Red Sea

The Houthi rebels in Yemen have informed the European Union that they do not intend to target European vessels in the Red Sea. According to diplomatic sources cited by the Financial Times, a letter was sent to the European External Action Service on September 10, the same day the Iran-backed group seized the Yemeni port of Mocha.

The Houthis stated that their operations along the southern coast of Yemen are not intended to disrupt international navigation or affect the freedom of passage through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This communication appears to be an effort to frame their conflict as a localized confrontation with Saudi Arabia rather than a broader campaign against international shipping.

This assurance follows recent escalations, including the seizure of islands in the Red Sea and attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities using missiles and drones. The group has also previously provided similar assurances to the United States following mediated talks in Oman.