Ahmad 
Trade flows in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa are at risk due to shipping disruptions in the Red Sea, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said.
The IMF’s Port Watch platform showed in a report that “maritime traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait has already declined sharply in recent days.”
In a related context, businessman and chief executive of Goncharov, Paul Goncharov, told Sputnik last Tuesday that the situation in the Red Sea “is very dangerous and has already led to the delay of shipments from Asia to Europe for the Christmas season, as it affects many delivery companies, and many Europeans will find that Christmas and New Year gifts have been delayed during the current year, as well as for regular deliveries, perishable items will be particularly affected. There are likely to be large insurance claims.”
On December 19, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the formation of a multinational force to protect trade in the Red Sea following attacks by the Yemeni group Ansar Allah on ships bound for Israel, comprising 10 countries: Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.
The developments come after Ansar Allah announced earlier the implementation of an operation it described as “qualitative” against two ships it said were linked to Israel, the first loaded with oil “Swan Atlantic”, and the other “MSC Clara” containers, with two naval planes, “after their crews refused to respond to the calls of the group’s naval forces.”
Ansar Allah forces called on ships in the Red Sea to “keep the acquaintance device open,” stressing “continuing to prevent all ships heading to Israeli ports of any nationality from navigation in the Arab and Red Sea until the entry of the food and medicine needed by the Gaza Strip.”
The air attack on the two ships came days after Ansar Allah claimed responsibility for targeting two container ships with missiles as they headed to Israel.
On December 14, Ansar Allah announced the bombing of the container ship “Mersik Geberllater” with a drone in the Red Sea, days after the group claimed responsibility for targeting a Norwegian ship loaded with oil named “Strenda”, with a missile that led to a fire in it.
Tension escalated in the southern Red Sea, after Ansar Allah announced that ships heading to Israel would be prevented from passing through the Red Sea if it did not enter the Gaza Strip in need of food and medicine, warning ships and companies from dealing with Israeli ports, considering that any ship heading to Israel is a “legitimate target.”
The group targeted the ships “Unity Explorer” and “Number Nine” in Bab al-Mandab, with a naval missile and a drone, “after they rejected warning messages.”
On November 19, Ansar Allah announced the seizure of the cargo ship “Galaxy Leader” owned by an Israeli businessman in the Red Sea, and took it to the Yemeni coast, in solidarity with the Gaza Strip.