THE astonishing effectiveness of the Houthi blockade of Israeli-linked shipping through the Red Sea has provoked a dangerous US-British response.

Lone among nations, Yemen has taken military action to uphold international law against the genocide in Gaza. In November it warned that any Israeli-owned shipping or ships to and from Israel would be legitimate targets — until the genocide ceases. Ships with no links with Israel had nothing to worry about.

The Houthi attacks on around 30 commercial ships so far — without any loss of life — have forced international shipping thousands of miles round South Africa rather than sailing through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to Europe. Ships now have to pay a war-risk premium on the London insurance market. A third of all container shipping passes through the Red Sea and this fell by 60 per cent between November and December.