Red Sea Ships Broadcast Identities Amid Houthi Threats

Commercial ships in the Red Sea are increasingly broadcasting crew nationality and religion details on tracking systems in an attempt to deter attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, who state their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Despite such broadcasts—including claims of all-Muslim or all-Chinese crews—maritime experts doubt their effectiveness, as the Houthis use deeper intelligence and target vessels with prior Israeli connections. Recent attacks have included ships with historical links to Israel, and even vessels operated by nations like China have not been spared. Shipping traffic in the region has dropped significantly since the escalation of attacks in November 2023, and insurers continue to label the area as high-risk. Shipping companies are now urged to rigorously check for any direct or indirect Israeli links to minimize risk. Nonetheless, experts agree that the threat of attack remains high regardless of the measures taken.