Qatar suspends gas supplies through the Red Sea after air strikes on Houthis
Qatar has suspended the shipment of liquefied natural gas tankers through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
According to the agency, at least five Qatari-operated liquefied natural gas ships heading for the strait in the southern Red Sea have been stopped since Friday.
Three tankers stopped off the coast of Oman, one in the Red Sea, and another in the Mediterranean near the Suez Canal.
The Joint Military Force, which includes the US and UK navies, has advised merchant ships to stay away from the danger zone in the southern Red Sea following air strikes on Houthis.
At least three major oil tanker operators have said they will avoid the area.
The Houthis have not yet attacked gas carriers since they began harassing ships in mid-November, but Qatar’s reluctance to allow transit through the strait underscores the sharp rise in risks following the US-led strikes.
Qatar, one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, was among the few gas suppliers that continue to use the Red Sea to send fuel to Europe, Bloomberg adds.
Increased risks may delay the supply of fuel for heating and power plants in Europe, but are unlikely to lead to shortages in the short term. The region is well stocked, industrial demand remains subdued, and the winter has been relatively mild so far. “European benchmark gas prices are trading near their lowest level since August,” the publication summarizes.
What is known about the EU’s plans to conduct a military operation in the Red Sea
According to Politico, the European Union is preparing a military operation to ensure the safety of commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
The journalists of the publication refer to the document of the European External Action Service.
According to it, the EU should plan an operation that will cover the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
It is noted that the operation may begin in late February.
Anonymous European diplomats told reporters that the plan will be discussed next week at a meeting of the EU’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee.
It is not yet known which countries will provide the warships mentioned in the plan.
There are also doubts about Spain’s support, which previously opposed plans to use the existing Atalanta operation in the Red Sea.
