In response to Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, Iran-backed Houthi militants based in Yemen have stepped up their attacks on commercial shipping vessels traveling through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
Tankers and cargo ships have been targeted by drone and missile attacks, with two more ships attacked on Monday. Even with minimal damage to these ships, the threat has left trade routes through the Red Sea at a near standstill.
Secretary of Defense Lloud Austin said the escalation of Houthi attacks “threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law.”
Everything from the cost of petrol at the pump to the availability of the latest electronic device is heavily dependent on the security of a narrow strait of water, just 20 miles wide, the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. The strait marks the southern entrance to the Red Sea, which connects to the Suez Canal.
U.S. officials believe that the Houthi attacks represent an undeclared war by Tehran and are weighing a direct strike on the rebels against the risk of fueling a broader war with Iran.
Defense Secretary Austin on Monday announced “the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative.”
The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain will join the U.S. in the new mission. Some of the countries will provide joint patrols, and some will provide intelligence. Other countries are involved who wish to not be named publicly.