Colombo: In a significant development, the Sri Lanka Navy announced on Monday its preparedness to dispatch a naval ship to the Red Sea to counter the escalating threat posed by Houthi rebels to merchant vessels. This move aligns with the efforts of other nations, such as India, in safeguarding the crucial waterway essential for global trade.

The decision follows recent directives from President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who emphasized the urgency by approving a fortnightly expenditure of Rs 250 million. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have intensified their attacks on merchant ships in recent weeks, attributing their actions to revenge against Israel’s military campaign targeting the Palestinian terror group Hamas in Gaza. The repercussions of these attacks have notably spiked transportation costs between Asia and Europe.

Navy spokesman Captain Gayan Wickramasuriya stated that while the exact deployment date is yet to be confirmed, the vessels will cover strategic areas, including the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and interconnected sea lanes, as per Newswire Lanka.  Initially, one ship will be deployed as part of “Operation Prosperity Guardians,” the ongoing naval operation in the Red Sea and adjoining trade routes. Captain Wickramasuriya explained that discussions would determine the specific sea lane requiring protection from Houthi rebels based on the warship’s capabilities.

He further emphasized that decisions regarding additional ship deployments or substitutions would be contingent on the evolving situation and economic conditions in Sri Lanka, opening the door for ongoing discussions.

Despite criticism, President Wickremesinghe, who also serves as the defense minister, defended the decision, asserting that the cost of deploying the naval vessel would be considerably less than the potential losses incurred by the Colombo port if vessel traffic were to be disrupted due to Houthi attacks.

The Houthi rebels’ targeted attacks on the Red Sea’s Bab al-Mandeb southern chokepoint have severely impacted shipping in a waterway responsible for facilitating around 12% of global trade.