Prepare for an Attack by Reuters

By Renee Maltezou and Jonathan Saul

ATHENS/LONDON – On a warm spring evening in Athens, just before midnight, a senior executive from a Greek shipping company received an alarming email in his personal inbox.

The communication, also sent to the manager’s business email, warned that one of the company’s vessels navigating the Red Sea was under threat from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi militia. The Greek-managed ship had breached a Houthi-imposed transit ban by docking at an Israeli port and was said to be "directly targeted by the Yemeni Armed Forces in any area they deem appropriate." The email, reviewed by reporters, emphasized that the company would bear the responsibility and consequences of including the vessel on the ban list. It was signed by the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), established in February to coordinate between Houthi forces and commercial shipping operators.

Since November, the Houthis have conducted nearly 100 attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, aligning their actions with support for Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. They have destroyed two ships, captured another, and resulted in the deaths of at least four seafarers. The email received in late May threatened "sanctions" against the company’s entire fleet if the targeted vessel continued to violate the rules and enter the ports of Israel.

For safety reasons, both the executive and the company chose not to be named. This warning marked the first of many increasingly aggressive emails sent to at least six Greek shipping firms since May, as geopolitical tensions escalated in the Middle East, according to several industry sources familiar with the situation.

Since last year, the Houthis have launched missiles, deployed armed drones, and targeted commercial vessels associated with entities from Israel, the U.S., and the UK. This email initiative, previously unreported, indicates a broader targeting of Greek merchant ships with minimal or no ties to Israel.

The threats became more elaborate, targeting entire fleets for the first time, thereby elevating the risks for ships attempting to traverse the Red Sea. A subsequent email sent in June from a Yemeni government domain warned that punishment would be enforced on all vessels of companies whose ships breached the Houthi restrictions.

Yemen has been embroiled in civil conflict for years, with the Houthis seizing control of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and ousting the internationally recognized government. In January, the U.S. designated the Houthis as a terrorist organization yet again.

While approached for comment, Houthi officials did not confirm sending the emails, citing the matter as classified military information. It remains unclear if these warnings were issued to other foreign shipping firms.

Greek-owned vessels constitute one of the world’s largest fleets, accounting for nearly 30% of Houthi attacks by early September, according to shipping intelligence data, though it is unclear how many had connections to Israel.

In August, the Houthis attacked the Sounion tanker, leaving it ablaze for weeks before it could be safely towed. These incidents have prompted many shipping routes to take longer paths around Africa, with transits through the Suez Canal declining from around 2,000 per month before November 2023 to approximately 800 in August.

Tensions reached a renewed high recently, following Iran’s launch of over 180 missiles toward Israel in retaliation for the deaths of key militant leaders, including Hezbollah’s Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

The European Union’s naval force Aspides reported to shipping companies that the Houthis’ tactics had evolved. A document revealed that warnings had begun to target entire fleets, indicating a new "fourth phase" of the Houthi military campaign in the Red Sea. The Aspides also advised ship owners to deactivate their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders, which track and display vessel locations, stating that operating with AIS increased the likelihood of strikes.

According to the Aspides briefing, missile accuracy was about 75% for vessels using AIS but dropped to 4% when it was turned off.

This email campaign, initiated in February, began as alerts about a travel ban on certain vessels but intensified after May, revealing more aggressive threats.

At least two Greek shipping companies that received these threats have opted to stop voyages through the Red Sea. Meanwhile, another shipping firm has ceased all business dealings with Israel to maintain access to the route. Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, emphasized the duty of companies to protect their crews, stating, "If safe transit through the Red Sea cannot be guaranteed, companies have a duty to act."

The threats have heightened anxiety among shipping firms. Insurance rates for Western ship owners have surged due to the attacks, with some insurers halting coverage entirely. Conbulk Shipmanagement Corporation discontinued Red Sea voyages after its vessel, MV Groton, faced two attacks in August. Its CEO remarked on the need for crew safety, stating, "Once the crew is in danger, all discussion stops."

Some firms still navigate the Red Sea due to long-term contracts or the necessity of transferring goods in that region, as it remains the fastest route to Europe and Asia. The Houthis have not completely obstructed traffic; most Chinese and Russian-owned vessels, which are perceived as having no affiliations with Israel, continue to operate without hindrance and enjoy lower insurance costs.

An audio message from the Houthis assured ships belonging to companies without connections to Israel that they were safe and free to keep their AIS devices activated.