Nostradamus, the legendary soothsayer, made many uncanny predictions about the future.
It now appears that rising tension in the Red Sea might cause one of his prophecies to come true. In his book ‘Les Prophecies’, Nostradamus hinted at a frightening sea war in 2024, declaring “Red adversary will become pale with fear, putting the great Ocean in dread”.
Some folks think this speaks about China and Taiwan, however, Houthi’s assault on ships in the Red Sea seems to fit better.
Missile strikes from America and Britain recently hit areas in Yemen controlled by Iranian-supported rebels, triggering firm promises of ‘sharp retaliation’ from the Shia group.
READ MORE: US set to ‘deploy special forces’ in Yemen as Houthis continue to launch attacks
They have been rooted in a multi-year battle with Sunni Saudi Arabia, supported and supplied by US and its allies. Although that war, which is still waging, has got slight attention, the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping trade route have put a spotlight on the conflict.
The armed and battle-seasoned Houthi rebels stated that they are “eager to take on the US directly”, pledging vengeance for the British and American missile strikes.
The US Air Force’s Mideast command confirmed that it struck over 60 targets at 16 sites in Yemen, including command-and-control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities, and air defence radar system. But there is a huge risk of this latest move sparking a massive escalation across a region already riven by sectarian violence, religious rivalry and the ongoing Israeli invasion of Gaza.
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The Houthis say their attacks on shipping ships which they allege have a connection to the Zionist regime were to avenge Israel’s offensive in Gaza. However, it has been claimed that they are, in fact, frequently attacking vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperilling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments.
Though US President Joe Biden’s administration and its allies have tried to calm tensions in the Middle East for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes have effectively ended that push in the eyes of many Arabs sympathetic with the Palestinian cause. And Saudi Arabia which supports the government in exile that the Houthis are fighting has rushed to distance itself from the attacks.
The Saudis are walking a tightrope, trying to avoid a direct clash with Iran while also maintaining a fragile ceasefire with Yemen. The Houthi’s military spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, warned that the strikes “will not go unanswered or unpunished”. He claimed five were killed and six injured in their forces.
The UK reported that strikes hit a site in Bani used by the Houthis for drone launches and an airfield in Abbs used for cruise missiles and drones. A Houthi foreign ministry official, Hussein al-Ezzi, warned: “America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression.”
The Red Sea, a vital route for global trade and energy, has seen recent attacks causing major disruptions. This has led to jittery markets and Brent crude oil prices rising by four percent on Friday, reaching over $80 a barrel. In other news, Elon Musk’s Tesla has temporarily stopped most production at its German factory due to these attacks.
Furthermore, there are concerns about the conflict spreading across the southern hemisphere. The US navy confirmed an attack on a ship in the distant Indian Ocean a few days ago. This could be a warning that Iran is ready to strike as part of a broader maritime campaign over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
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