Yemen is one of the

poorest and least developed countries in the world. Around half the population faces severe food insecurity. Only half the adult population is considered to be "literate" (and the reality is that many of those are barely literate). There has been internal conflict for over a decade and the situation is getting worse.

So the Houthis, who are fighting the elected government, are somehow managing to fire rockets onto ships which are legitimately passing through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea towards the Suez Canal? They are doing this as well as fighting an internal war? 

They are of course. Any ship attempting to pass through the area is seen as a legitimate target because any of them might be "supporting" Israel. It matters not if they are carrying grain for the use of the Palestinians. The Houthis know better. It is all being done to support Israel and that has to stop. Any government which shows any support for Israel must be stopped. If you do not adhere to the type of Islam the Houthis support then you are "friend" of Israel and you are an enemy of Yemen.

Really? The support for the Houthis is coming from Iran - from the "leaders" of Iran. It is coming from the people who are attempting to control the everyday citizens of Iran, who have seen the "morality" police installed, who bar any form of dissent. Yemen's rapidly dwindling oil supplies do not bring in the sort of income that can feed the population of Yemen let alone buy the sort of weapons the Houthis are using. 

I had an unwanted visitor yesterday. Despite the heat he turned up at the front door trying to sell me the idea that the Houthis were justified in what they were doing. (He was trying to sell me a lot of other very dangerous nonsense as well - in the form of "research". I had been warned of his impending visit and decided to take a bit of time finding out just what he was doing.) 

I knew I was not going to change his opinion but I made sure he knew that I know a little more about the Law of the Sea than he does.  No, I am not an expert by any means. I actually know very little but I do know something and I do know the Red Sea does not "belong to Yemen" and that shipping must be allowed to pass freely through the Gulf of Aden. I told him I knew he was "deliberately spreading misinformation". 

This man is young. He genuinely believes what he says. He has been carefully and thoroughly indoctrinated by others. It is disturbing to realise how much damage he might do.

After he had gone I called the person who had sent him to me and we discussed the situation. It is up to the other person to decide whether to take any further action but at very least this young man needs to be watched more closely. There are probably many more like him in Yemen. Their likely limited literacy skills will make it even easier for others to tell them what to think...and they will pass it on to those who have no literacy skills at all. 

No doubt they would even have an answer if they hit and destroyed a load of grain on a ship bound for Sanaa.