Houthi rebels carrying out attacks in the Red Sea at the behest of China and Iran?

Suddenly the news came that America and Britain jointly launched air strikes on the positions of Houthi rebels at many places in Yemen. Many of their hideouts have been destroyed in these air strikes. Tension may further increase in West Asia after America and Britain’s attack. And the question also became that why did America and Britain have to carry out these attacks in Yemen, thousands of miles away, is there a long game hidden behind it and is India also going to become a part of this war out of compulsion.

To understand the story, first come to India because in September last year, the G20 summit was going on in India, at the same time a news was being published very prominently that India-West Asia-Europe are working together to cut off China’s Silk Route. Under the economic corridor, a network of connectivity of data, railways, ports, electricity networks and hydrogen pipelines will be laid. Once implemented, this corridor will not only connect the three major economic regions of the world, India, West Asia and Europe, but will also prove helpful in increasing global trade. This will provide an alternative to China’s BRI. At the same time, it will connect the fastest growing Indian economy in the world with the main markets of West Asia and Europe. Not only this, Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia, Israel and Jordan will also be included in it.

Countries from Europe to Arabia agreed on this agreement, that is, it used to travel directly from New Delhi to Beijing, but a large part of this trade route was by sea. China was disappointed because this route was going to connect its route to Lanka, on which China has invested billions and trillions of dollars, that is, China was disappointed about this safe route.

But suddenly maritime merchant ships started being targeted in the Indian Ocean and South Red Sea. At first it was thought that only Israeli flagged ships were being targeted, it would be the work of Hamas or its fellow terrorist organizations, but then more than two dozen ships were targeted one after the other. Due to these attacks, trade worth about 200 billion dollars was diverted from the Red Sea in the last few months. The Indian Navy foiled these attacks and even deployed warships in the Arabian Sea.

The question became, who is behind all this and why are these attacks being carried out…In search of answers to these questions, we turn to Yemen…Understand the game, how those fighting for power and the so-called Allah are now ready to do anything. That is, there is a country situated in the Middle-East, Yemen. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia in the north and Oman in the east and is surrounded by the sea in the rest of the directions. Saida, a city in the northwest of Yemen. A student movement started here in the 1990s. The Believing Youth. The name of its founder was Hussain Badar al-Din Houthi. Their objective was the renaissance of Zaydi Islam. Zaidi is a sect of Shia Islam. Zaydi kings ruled Yemen for a thousand years. The last Zaidi Sultan Imam Ahmed was assassinated in 1962. After this the civil war continued for a long time. Yemen divided into two parts. For some time, the Soviet Union continued to dominate South Yemen.

Then came the year 1978, an army officer was made the President in North Yemen. Ali Abdullah Saleh. During his time there was fighting again between North and South Yemen. Thousands died. The Soviet Union began to weaken in the 1980s. The countries included in his group started rebelling. Its effect was visible in Yemen also. North Yemen and South Yemen became one. This union was given a new name. Republic of Yemen. The nomenclature was new, but the architect was the same. There was no impact on the power of Ali Abdullah Saleh. He became the first President of unified Yemen. He got the support of Saudi Arabia and America. Saudi Arabia is a Sunni Islamic country. He promoted the Salafi movement in Yemen.

Amidst all this, Shia Muslims went to the sidelines. Once upon a time the Sultan was forced to live a life of poverty. Their representation in the country’s politics was decreasing. The power in Yemen was largely in the hands of Sunni people but Shias wanted power back. But this group was a minority. The question became how to reach the destination of power, then in the year 1990, a person named Hussein Al Houthi formed the Houthi organization and said that the country will together fight the corruption of President Abdullah Saleh. To get support from Sunnis, they openly declared America and Israel as their enemies. Lebanese organizations supported by Iran started considering Hezbollah as their master and also started supporting Hamas. To register its presence, Al-Huthi had created an organization called ‘Believing Youth’. In the initial years it formed many clubs. Set up summer camps. Attracted the youth towards itself. Books of Shia scholars were taught in these camps. Stories of Shia religious leaders of Lebanon and Iran were told.

On one hand, the Yemen government was swinging with Sunni Saudi, America and Israel. Whereas Shias were preparing their battlefield. They were demanding the resources and rights they needed. The Saleh government ignored their demands. Angered by this, al-Houthi took out rallies against the government. Huge crowds started gathering in these rallies. This was a new challenge for the Saleh government. Obviously, this increased the tension. The government issued an arrest warrant against al-Houthi. But instead of solving the matter, this made the matter more complicated. Violent fighting broke out between the army and al-Houthi supporters. People started dying from both sides.

That is, the laughing Yemen started burning in religious fire. The year was 2004. It was the month of December. Yemen’s army killed Hussein Badr Deen al-Houthi in an encounter. This was the first sign of the spark flaring up. Supporters of al-Houthi started a direct war against the Yemen government. This movement got its name, Houthi rebellion, after Al-Houthi. His supporters were called Houthi rebels.

The Yemen government gave its full strength in this fight. The Army and Air Force bombed the positions of Houthi rebels. Saudi Arabia showered a lot of money. Saudi was on the side of Yemen government. The upper hand was heavy. The government had the upper hand. But no luck. Houthi rebels won this battle. They captured new positions. This was a strong slap on the face of Saudi Arabia.

In 2010, Houthi rebels made an agreement with the Yemen government. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire. The movement stopped. But not completely. Another big stir was ready to brew in the neighborhood.

​ The slap on the face of a fruit seller in Tunisia caused an uproar in the Middle East. Coups started happening in many countries.

The fire that started from Tunisia gradually started engulfing neighboring countries as well. Most of the countries in the Middle East were dominated by dictatorial governments. There was no change of power there for decades. The general public was suffocating badly.

The same suffocation was developing in Yemen also. Ali Abdullah Saleh was occupying the chair there for 32 years. The public revolted against him. Saleh had to hand over power to his ally Mansour Hadi. But this power transfer could not happen properly. There were many types of problems. al Qaeda. Separatism. Poverty, hunger etc. etc. That is, now the Shia-Sunni conflict started here and the Shia minority Houthi rebels also rebelled.

The struggle began. The Presidential Palace was captured in January 2015. President Mansour Hadi had to flee the country. On February 06, Houthi rebels dissolved the parliament. Now power was in the hands of Houthi rebels.

Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia to ask for help. Saudi Arabia was convinced that Iran was helping the Houthi rebels. Saudi and its allies together started aerial bombing of Yemen. America, Britain and France helped them. This struggle is still going on. 70 percent of Yemen is under their control and in the year 2017, Houthi terrorists also killed Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Now why did this story have to be told and now why did these Houthi terrorists and Yemen come in between. Actually the command of Houthi terrorists is in the hands of Iran. America is Iran’s number one enemy. China also has its own advantage in this fight, that is, this is a war for supremacy. But in this battle for supremacy, India was defeated. Now when there was talk of India-West Asia-Europe Economic Corridor in G20, Israel, Saudi Arabia, America, all the countries which Iran considered as enemies, joined this corridor, only China also had the same problem that how to destroy this route. Go. How to create fear in other countries that this route is not safe, that is, these other countries should fear and accept China’s Silk Route…China and Iran had made the terrorists pawns, they were short of money and China had the terrorists. The two met and Houthi rebels began targeting ships in the Indian Ocean and southern Red Sea.

India talked to Israel on 19 December. Concern was expressed regarding the safety of maritime traffic. Talked to Saudi Arabia because the targets of Houthi rebels are ships loaded with crude oil, which means if the crude oil is destroyed, Iran will sell its oil. This is Iran’s advantage and China’s advantage is that its route will be considered safe.

Things escalated and ships were being targeted again and again due to which the US Navy also came into the fray. He had also foiled attacks by Houthi rebels several times. America had also warned that if the attacks were not stopped, there would be major consequences. America to protect international shipping routes

Surveillance also increased. India also deployed its first three and then several war ships in the Arabian Sea and Red Sea.

While the attacks were continuing, the White House issued a statement that ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ should be launched with more than 20 countries to protect commercial ships from the attacks of Houthi terrorists. Last week, along with 13 allied countries, we defeated the Houthi rebels. Had issued a warning and said that if they did not stop attacks on merchant ships, they would have to face serious consequences. America’s warning had no effect on Houthi terrorists, so now the armies of both America and Britain have launched attacks at many places in Yemen. But there have been air strikes on the positions of Houthi rebels. The Houthi rebels have suffered huge losses in these air strikes and many of their hideouts have been destroyed. Now it remains to be seen whether the Houthis will attack again and if they do then the Indian Ocean including the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea will become an arena of war. Yemen will die at the behest of Iran and China…

​BY-Rajeev Choudhary