Russia voices concern over rising tension in Red Sea

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Wednesday voiced concern over rising tension in the Red Sea, where Yemen's Houthis have targeted commercial vessels, disrupting global trade through the Suez Canal.

Responding to a question by Anadolu at a news conference in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova attributed the rising tension to the US military build-up in the region.

"What is happening once again testifies to the deep militarization of the US and its allies' foreign policy. An additional illustration of this conclusion is the fact that the US and a number of European states are increasing their naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and now, under various pretexts, and in the Red Sea.

"This increases the already off-scale degree of tension in this part of the world, increases the risks of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict acquiring a region-wide character," she said.

Instead of encouraging the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation, efforts should be focused on an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, in search of a diplomatic formula for a settlement in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly, the spokeswoman emphasized.

"Unfortunately, the US draws no conclusions from the devastating consequences of its own and its satellites' military adventures to countries such as Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and many other places," she said.

Houthis say they are targeting ships traveling to Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians, prompting the world's top shipping companies to stop using the Red Sea and rerouting via southern Africa, a longer and more expensive journey. The canal is the quickest sea route between Asia and Europe.

They, however, are now reviewing their decisions after the US announced a multinational maritime security initiative in the Red Sea in response to the attacks.

Commenting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks about deepening the war in Gaza, Zakharova stressed that "those who truly care about the people of the region, both the citizens of Israel and the citizens of Palestine, call for peace."

"The flywheel of the armed escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not slowing down, innocent civilians are dying, and civilian infrastructure is being destroyed. Our country has consistently advocated an immediate and universal cease-fire," she said.

Russia will also continue providing humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip to alleviate their suffering, she said.

Israel has launched a massive military campaign on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, killing more than 21,000 Palestinians, and leaving the enclave in ruins amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicines.

Around 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

Netanyahu on Wednesday said, "we are continuing the war, intensifying the fighting in the southern Gaza Strip and other places, and will fight to the end."