Access the latest Maritime Security Threat Advisory for the week commencing 10th October 2022.

👉 In Yemen, on 02 October Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen failed to extend the UN brokered peace deal. Reporting indicates that fighting resumed across numerous governates. Since the collapse of the peace deal the Houthi’s have made a number of threats against UAE, Saudi and Israeli commercial and military operations. Dryad Global continue to advise that the risk profile to commercial vessels operating within the Southern Red Sea, west of Hanish and Al Zubair remains MODERATE. The risk profile for vessels operating east of this location is assessed as SEVERE. Vessels operating at Saudi Red Sea ports south of Jeddah are assessed to be operating within a SUBSTANTIAL risk environment however this may be subject to short term alteration. 

👉 In Libya, Turkey signed a “preliminary deal” with Dbeibah’s GNU government allowing for oil and gas exploration in a contested maritime zone, with an implicit agreement that Turkey will continue to support Dbeibah’s GNU militarily in Tripoli. The agreement has escalated tensions in the Mediterranean with countries rejecting the deal as against international law. Greece has threatened to use force to defend its sovereignty against exploration in the contested 

region. Libya’s Eastern based Parliament has similarly rejected the deal claiming that Dbeibah does not have the mandate to sign international agreements. The deal is unlikely to be implemented in Eastern Libya as the East Libya coast is controlled by the Parliament and General Haftar. 

Tensions over Dbeibah’s signing of the deal with Turkey and his activation of the Higher Council of Energy which offers him greater executive control over oil and gas decisions have heightened the risk of protests and potential port closures in Eastern Libya.

👉 In the Black Sea, an explosion led to the partial collapse of the Kerch Bridge which connects Russia and Crimea. The consequences for Russia were primarily symbolic as traffic resumed on non-damaged parts of the bridge shortly after. The Kerch strait remains navigable.

👉 The maritime delimitation deal between Israel and Lebanon is on the brink of collapse after Israel rejected Lebanon’s revision to the draft deal. In the context of escalating threats to Israeli targets in the Karish gas fields by Hezbollah in recent months, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz has instructed the IDF to prepare for the possibility of escalation on the Northern border with Lebanon.