Another blow to world trade: the shipping company from Hong Kong OOCL announced today (Sunday) that it will stop transporting goods to and from Israel immediately until further notice. This follows the threats of the Houthis from Yemen and the attack on the ships throughout the Red Sea.
This is the fourth company to announce the cessation of operations in the region in the last week, with OOCL joining the Danish companies Maersk, the French CMA CGM and the German Hapag-Lloyd who have already announced a similar move. This is a dramatic decision that may cause an increase in prices for products imported from abroad. Some companies are even considering canceling sending ships to Israel for fear of the Houthis attacking the ships.
Meanwhile, this morning it was reported on the "Politico" website that senior officials in the American administration are considering options for a significant attack against the Houthis in Yemen, this after a series of attacks against trading spies in the Red Sea. According to the report, in recent days the Pentagon moved the aircraft carrier "Dwight Eisenhower" from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden near Yemen, to support a potential American attack on the Houthi rebels. It was also said that the US military presented the high command with several possible plans for an attack.