Indonesia Condemns Attacks on Commercial Vessels in the Red Sea

The Government of the Republic of Indonesia has strongly condemned attacks on commercial vessels sailing in the Red Sea, stating they contravene international law. Indonesia also called on all conflicting parties to exercise restraint, avoid actions that could escalate tensions, and respect international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which governs the rights and obligations of states in utilising the oceans, establishing maritime zone boundaries, and protecting the marine environment. “These attacks violate international law, including the principle of freedom of navigation, and endanger shipping safety, international trade, and regional stability,” the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated via X on Friday. In the statement, Indonesia also reaffirmed its support for resolving the conflict in Yemen through an inclusive political process, fully owned and initiated by Yemen itself. However, Indonesia reminded that this process should be under the facilitation of the UN, respecting Yemen’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. Previously on Thursday, Yemen’s Houthi group announced it had launched a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, claiming the vessels had violated newly announced maritime restrictions. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said Houthi forces targeted the two tankers, identified as ENCELIA and LAYLA, using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. Sarea said the two ships were targeted for violating an embargo imposed by the Houthi armed forces on ships docking at Saudi ports. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported receiving a report of an incident involving a tanker approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia. In a warning notice posted on social media platform X, UKMTO stated the ship’s master reported the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile, which caused a fire on board that the crew was working to extinguish. Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of the country’s north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in support of the Yemeni government in 2015.