European Center: There are countries that are exploiting the Houthis to undermine freedom of navigation, and this has major repercussions for NATO countries

The Houthi anti-shipping activities in Yemen, including the use of mines, drones, unmanned surface ships and missile strikes, have major repercussions for NATO countries, the European Policy Analysis Center CEPA said.

The center added in a report - translated by "Yemen Shabab Net" - that the attacks not only threaten the security of sea routes, but also play a crucial role in the broader context of irregular warfare and strategic competition involving China, Russia, and Iran.

While NATO is a purely defensive alliance committed to the security and interests of its member states, these authoritarian states are exploiting the Houthis in Yemen to indirectly undermine the economic prosperity, freedom of navigation, and overall security interests of the trans-Atlantic alliance.

The coalition must understand the threat posed by these anti-Western proxies if it is to confront this troubling development.

The Houthis' control of Yemen's Red Sea coast enables them to disrupt one of the world's most important maritime choke points: the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This narrow passage connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. Although it is located south of the Tropic of Cancer, and therefore outside NATO's geographical boundaries, the alliance's interest there is undoubted.

The strait allows the passage of oil, natural gas and trade goods between Europe, Asia and the Americas. The Houthis' targeting of shipping thus poses a major threat to global trade.

NATO countries, which rely heavily on these routes for energy and trade, face increasing shipping costs due to heightened security measures and sometimes longer distance rerouting. The attacks also raise insurance premiums on ships operating in the region, which indirectly affects the cost of goods.

Furthermore, NATO countries depend on the constant flow of oil and gas through Bab al-Mandab. Any major outage could lead to energy shortages and higher prices, affecting economies already suffering from global energy market fluctuations. The effects are clear – trade through the Suez Canal has fallen by two-thirds.

This vulnerability underscores the region's strategic importance to NATO's energy security. As a result, NATO forces, especially those of the United States, France and the United Kingdom, are increasingly engaged in the region to ensure the security of shipping lanes.

This diverts resources from other strategic priorities, and has led to direct confrontations with Houthi forces, which are undoubtedly supported by Iran. The discrimination practiced by the Houthis in setting targets reveals their goals.

They noticeably refrain from attacking Iranian, Russian, and Chinese military or commercial vessels – underscoring their strategic alliance with these countries. While they claim that the attacks support Palestinians in Gaza, almost every other ship appears to be a legitimate target.

Iran, the Houthis' main backer, provides advanced weapons and training, underscoring their mutual interests. Iranian intelligence ships providing targeting information to the Houthis also travel freely in areas where the Houthis attack other ships indiscriminately, and make no attempt to hide their cooperation.

There is no doubt that the Houthis' anti-shipping activities in the Red Sea, enabled by Iran, undermine NATO security and pose a direct threat to the coalition's interests.

Moreover, Russia and China have offered various forms of international support to the Houthis, driven by the alignment of their interests against NATO and Western influence. This selective targeting poses an indirect threat to NATO, because it highlights the Houthis’ role in a broader coalition of state and non-state actors challenging Western interests.

The Houthi activities are not an isolated phenomenon but rather part of a broader pattern of irregular warfare influenced by major powers, especially Iran, China and Russia. These countries use asymmetric tactics to challenge the alliance's strategic interests globally.

Recent American intelligence reports reveal that the Houthis may soon supply weapons to the anti-Western Al-Shabaab movement in Somalia, under the direction of Iran. This form of irregular warfare complicates Western strategic calculations, because direct confrontation with Iran is politically and militarily complex, regardless of its increasing justifications.

There are clear benefits for China. It is increasingly engaged in the region, a crucial point for the Belt and Road Initiative, and has expanded its military and commercial bases in the Red Sea port of Djibouti, while also increasing its anti-piracy patrols off the Horn of Africa. Houthi activities disrupting Western-allied sea routes therefore benefit China by hindering its strategic rivals.

Russia also sees opportunities in the resulting instability. By allying with Iran, and to a lesser extent with the Houthis, Russia aims to weaken NATO’s cohesion and distract the alliance from its primary focus on European security.

NATO members have no choice but to strengthen maritime security measures, technological innovation, and adopt comprehensive diplomatic and economic strategies. The success of the alliance will be crucial to maintaining global security and stability.