The Netherlands calls on the European Union to impose sanctions on the Houthis in Yemen after an attack on a ship
The Netherlands has called on the European Union to classify the Houthi group in Yemen as a terrorist organization, following an attack on the Dutch ship Minervaht in the Gulf of Aden. The attack resulted in a fire on board the ship, injured two sailors, and forced the evacuation of 19 crew members by helicopter.
Dutch Foreign Minister David van Wijngaarden stated that the Houthis pose a "serious threat to freedom of navigation" and called for stricter European measures. Countries such as the United States, Israel, Canada, and Australia already consider the group, officially known as Ansar Allah, a terrorist organization.
If the European Union agrees to list the Houthis as a terrorist organization, it will lead to the imposition of economic sanctions including the freezing of assets and funds. The list currently includes 13 individuals and 22 organizations, and Dutch authorities emphasize the urgent need to act to protect commercial shipping routes that remain continuously threatened.
According to the European Union's maritime mission Aspidys and the ship operator Splitthof, the Minervacht was sailing in international waters when it was hit by a cruise missile for which the Houthi group later claimed responsibility. The ship sustained significant damage and caught fire. The Houthis justified the attack by stating that the ship's owner violated their ban on entering "the ports of occupied Palestine."
This incident comes in a series of repeated Houthi attacks on international ships since 2023, primarily targeting vessels with ties to Israel under the pretext of solidarity with the Palestinians. Among these attacks are the sinking of the cargo ships Magic Seaz and Eternity Sea, in addition to targeting Israeli tankers and Singaporean ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The recent call from the Netherlands adds further pressure on the European Union to take a firm stance against this escalating threat in one of the world's most important trade routes.