Yemen’s Houthi rebels have reportedly assured China and Russia regarding the safe passage of their ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

As Bloomberg notes, Moscow and Beijing reached this agreement after talks with the Houthis in Oman. In return, the two countries were asked to provide political support to the Houthis in agencies such as the United Nations Security Council, possibly by blocking resolutions condemning the attacks.

The financial agency underlines that although the Houthis have already clarified that assets of Moscow and Beijing will not be targeted, the talks highlight heightened nervousness among world powers over the group’s missile and drone attacks in and around the southern Red Sea since mid-November.

The Houthis say that they are targeting ships linked to Israel, the US and the UK as they try to press for an end to Tel Aviv’s war on the Gaza Strip.

Also read: Yemen | New US and British airstrikes against Houthi – VIDEO

Waterways, including the Bab el-Mandeb strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, are vital to the global economy. It is indicative that under normal conditions approximately 30% of the world’s container cargo is moved through them. Large quantities of oil and natural gas also come from the area.

Both China and Russia are diplomatic and economic partners of the main military and financial supporter of the Houthis, Iran. Most Iranian oil exports go to China and the Islamic Republic has, according to the US and the European Union, provided drones and other weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine.

China and Russia have already provided some diplomatic support to the Houthis. In early January, they abstained from a resolution backed by the US and Japan that condemned “in the strongest terms” Houthi attacks on ships. In mid-February, China and Russia disputed the legitimacy of the strikes against the Houthis and said that they had never been authorized by the Security Council.

Last week, Houthi leader, Abdul Malik Al Houthi, announced that the campaign against Western ships will be extended to the Indian Ocean.

Also read: Red Sea | 10-nation alliance against the Houthis