The Houthis have officially announced that they have suspended maritime attacks against Israel and have revoked the so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a letter (reported by some Anglo-Saxon media) sent to the military wing of Hamas, Kata’ib al-Qassam, by the newly appointed Houthi chief of staff, Yousef Hassan Al-Madani, who succeeded Mohammed Al-Ghamari after his death in an Israeli airstrike.
The Houthi attacks, which killed at least nine sailors and sank four ships, have forced world trade to divert around the Cape of Good Hope over the last two years, multiplying ton-miles and freight rates.
While confirming a temporary pause, Al-Madani added that if the conflict in Gaza were to continue, the Houthis would consider the possibility of resuming their operations, including renewed pressure on maritime routes. Since the start of the truce between Hamas and Israel, on October 10, the Houthis have not claimed any new attacks.
Meanwhile, Egypt has stated that it is developing plans for the resumption of trade through the Suez Canal. The French container company Cma Cgm tested the return to the Suez route this week with a westbound voyage on its Mex service, after two eastbound voyages on its Fal1 line.
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