The British oil company Shell has suspended all shipments through the Red Sea indefinitely after the US and UK attacks against Yemen triggered fears of further escalation, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the decision.
Last week, the company took the step to halt all crossings over concerns that a successful attack on one of its ships could trigger a massive spill in the region, as well as present risks to the safety of crews on the ships, according to the report.
Last month, rival oil company BP announced it had temporarily paused all transits through the Red Sea.
Several shipping companies have suspended their operations in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks.
In solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, the Yemeni armed forces have targeted ships in the Red Sea with owners linked to Israel or those going to and from ports in the occupied territories.
In response, the US has formed a military coalition against Yemeni forces in the Red Sea and endangered maritime navigation in the strategic waterway.
The US and Britain, backed by Bahrain, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands, struck more than 60 targets at almost 30 locations in Yemen on Friday, killing five people and injuring six others.
On Saturday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that a “follow-on action” was conducted against a Yemeni radar facility by the Navy destroyer USS Carney using Tomahawk land attack missiles.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, stressed all American and British ships and warships participating in the aggression are “hostile targets”.
Yemen’s Houthi group has also accused the United States on Tuesday of pressuring shipping companies to suspend operations in the Red Sea.
“The suspension of operations by shipping companies in the Red Sea is the result of American pressure and intimidation,” Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdel-Salam said in a statement.
He termed the suspension of shipping operations in the Red Sea as an “inaccurate position” and “only serves the tendentious American propaganda”.
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