Modi, Netanyahu discuss Houthi threat to shipping

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, December 19

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Tuesday discussed the need to protect shipping and the global economy from attacks by Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen, as per an Israeli statement.

Attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militants on ships in the Red Sea have disrupted maritime trade and led the US to announce a coalition to try to deal with the threat.

In the latest attack on Monday, the Houthis launched drone attacks on two cargo vessels. As a result, supply chains have been disrupted and shipping firms are rerouting ships around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Suez Canal. This has reportedly led to a 40 per cent hike in shipping costs. The biggest impact has been on oil prices which have started rising.

The leaders also spoke about moving forward on a proposal to send labourers from India to Israel, which has suffered a flight of Thai and other foreign workers during the Gaza war. They discussed the plans to bring in 50,000 to 1 lakh Indian workers after Palestinians from West Bank and Gaza stopped coming.