Merchant vessels traversing the treacherous Red Sea are now resorting to desperate signalling tactics in efforts to avoid hijacking by Iran-backed Houthi militants who have ratcheted up attacks on international shipping lanes.Vessels falsely associate with ChinaIn the latest extraordinary measure, at least five ships passing through the narrow passage have updated their status to convey all Chinese crew or similar messaging. While two of the ships signaling Chinese crew are currently in the Red Sea, two more have navigated the dangerous waterway and are now sailing to Asia. A fifth appears to be heading toward the Gulf of Aden.While misleading, broadcasting phoney Chinese connections is being used as a deterrent given the Houthis avoidance of provoking Chinas ire thus far.Exports plummet over hijack fearsExporters remain extremely apprehensive as the vital Red Sea chokepoint witnesses a spike in Houthi raids, including recent hijackings, amid the Yemen rebels violent solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.But while claiming to solely target Israeli-linked ships, analysis shows indiscriminate assaults on vessels with no evident ties.The crisis in the Red Sea is being witnessed through the decrease in global exports and surge in oil prices in the West.Key transit route skirtedThe fallout is visible through plummeting Suez Canal crossings as multiple freighters opt for the long southern Africa route to skip the treacherous Red Sea, causing trade disruptions. Meanwhile, the supply chain distortions have exacerbated oil price hikes in the West.US And UK Forces Retaliate With StrikesIn response to the alarming escalation, American and British armed forces - supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands - unleashed lethal airstrikes upon Houthi military sites on Thursday, with a defiant UK PM Rishi Sunak branding it necessary and proportionate self-defence.Ongoing naval patrols to deter aggressionSunak confirmed the UKs Royal Navy continues guarding the Red Sea to repel Houthi aggression. But with militants undaunted by superpower reprisals thus far, vulnerable commercial ships are left relying on bogus Chinese affiliations to cross the strategic seaway, highlighting the gravity of the crisis.Tensions set to endureWith no diplomatic solution in sight, economic pain from supply chain holdups and military counterstrikes appear inevitable as long as Yemens civil war rages and the Shiite Muslim rebels wield their disruptive leverage over the narrow seaway linking Europe and Asia.
