Despite Continued Threats From Yemen, Maersk Prepares to Resume Shipping Through Red Sea

Maersk, the world's second-largest container line, is preparing to resume shipping through the Red Sea, thanks to a new multi-national maritime task force to protect vessels from attacks by Houthis from Yemen. "We are currently working on plans for the first vessels to make the transit and for this to happen as soon as operationally possible," the company said Sunday in an advisory. It added, "While doing so, ensuring the safety of our employees is of the utmost importance and our number one priority in handling the challenging situation in the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden area." In its Sunday statement, Maersk said that the creation of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a maritime task force set up by the US and allies, is "most welcome news for the entire industry." Houthis say all ships are safe except those having links to Israel.

The demining Masam Project dismantled 826 mines in the third week of December 2023, the project said in a statement on Monday. The tally includes five anti-personnel mines, 116 anti-tank mines, 681 unexploded ordnance, and one explosive device. A total of 426,090 mines have been dismantled since the project's inception. The parties to the conflict in Yemen planted thousands of landmines since the start of the war in 2014.

A local source said that three soldiers in the ranks of government forces were killed today, Monday, in Marib province, northeast of Sanaa. According to the source, unknown gunmen shot the three soldiers dead near the Bin Maili fuel station in Al-Wadi District. This attack comes in line with security tension in the province, following two days of armed confrontations between tribespeople over the price rise of petrol

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The Gaza war is far from over, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says, dismissing what he cast as "false media speculation" his government may call a halt to fighting. About 250 Palestinians were killed, mostly women and children, and 500 injured in the past 24 hours, the Gaza health ministry says. Israeli army admits it is fighting a "complex and complicated war" with many soldiers killed over the past few days. More than 20,674 people have been killed and 54,536 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 7.

Iran's foreign ministry rejected Monday what it called "worthless" Washington's claims that a drone attack targeting a tanker off the coast of India was "fired from Iran." "We declare these claims as completely rejected and worthless," said foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani. Yemen's Houthi recent attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea have prompted major firms to reroute their cargo vessels around the southern tip of Africa. Iran has also said the Houthi group was acting on its own.