Canada strongly condemned attacks on ships in the Red Sea

Canada and its allies have warned the Houthis (a militant group operating in Yemen) that they will bear the consequences of their continued attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

After the worsening crisis in the Middle East October 7, 2023, the Houthis announced their support for Hamas and began using rockets and drones to attack Israeli ships in the Red Sea in November. Meanwhile, nearly 15% of global maritime trade passes through the Red Sea, including 8% of global grain trade, 12% of maritime oil trade, and 8% of global liquefied natural gas trade. The group significantly stepped up its efforts last week.

With this in mind, the United States launched the Prosperity Guardian naval operation in December. Canada has not officially expressed support for it, focusing on humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict. However, on January 3, Canada's Foreign Ministry, along with other allies, unequivocally condemned the Houthis' actions.

Representatives of the governments of Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States issued a joint statement declaring the attacks illegal:

"We call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews. The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways."

This position is based on the consensus expressed by 44 countries of the world on December 19, 2023, as well as the UN Security Council statement of December 1, 2023, condemning the attacks by the Houthis on commercial ships passing through the Red Sea.