Watch the above video as Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan explains that while ships are still being attacked, many are avoiding the area altogether and taking the long route around Africa. However, Zeihan contends that there are some categories of vessels that the Houthis are allowing to pass through the Red Sea.
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Excerpted from Peter’s June 4 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:
It’s time for an update on the situation in the Red Sea and what the Houthis have been up to as of late. Spoiler alert: Most of the ships are taking the longer route around Africa, but there’s a handful still navigating this region.
When people start attacking ships and demanding extortion money, the smart thing to do is avoid that area. However, there are a few exceptions. Oil tankers, mostly originating from Arab countries, have been largely left alone by the Houthis to avoid global backlash. Russian cargo ships coming from the Black Sea have also been given the green light by the Houthis thanks to relations with end destination countries like Iran.
Finally, we have the Chinese container ships. The Chinese have opted to pay the protection money (after being targeted the first few times) and are granted passage as part of a protection racket. So, if you don’t fall into one of these boats, you’ll likely be heading around Africa for the foreseeable future.
