IMO condemns Houthi attacks on ships, warns of threat to seafarers and supply chains

The International Maritime Organization condemned the Houthi rebels Thursday (local time) after the group declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and attacked ships in the Red Sea.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Domingues said in a statement that the attacks were "unacceptable," adding that they "endanger the lives of seafarers and threaten the safety of international shipping, the marine environment and the stability of global supply chains."

Domingues said seafarers "are civilians performing an essential service that sustains economies and societies around the world," and urged ship operators to conduct thorough risk assessments before transiting the region.

He also said the Red Sea is "a critical maritime corridor for international trade" and warned that continued attacks on shipping in the area risk heightening tensions, worsening disruptions to commercial routes and undermining the principle of freedom of navigation. "De-escalation is the only solution," he said.

The Houthis said they carried out military operations targeting two Saudi oil tankers that day, and Saudi media confirmed that one of the two vessels sailing through the Red Sea was struck and caught fire.