US Announced New International Coalition to Stop Houthi Attacks On Commercial Ships In Red Sea
Jose Nino
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The United States and several other nations are establishing a new multinational coalition to protect ships traveling through the Red Sea that have been attacked by Houthi drones and ballistic missiles fired from areas they control in Yemen. Defense Department Secretary Lloyd Austin made this announcement on December 19, 2023.
These attacks have been quite serious and have resulted in significant damage to ships. These developments have prompted multiple shipping companies to order their ships to stay put and not enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the region is fully secured.
On December 18, the US military’s Central Command revealed two more of the attacks on commercial ships. “This is an international challenge that demands collective action,” declared Austin in a statement released shortly after midnight in Bahrain. “Therefore, today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative.”
The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain joined the US in this mission, Austin announced. Several of the countries will carry out joint patrols, while other countries will provide intelligence aid in the southern part of Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
On top of that, several other countries have agreed to participate in the operation but prefer not to have their participation publicized, a defense official stated on the condition of anonymity to discuss further details of the new mission that have not been publicized.
Two US naval vessels – the USS Carney and the USS Mason, Navy destroyers – have been sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on a daily basis to help prevent and respond to Houthi attacks.
The Houthis have been ramping up attacks in response to Israel’s brutal military campaign in Gaza. For the Houthis, the US and Israel are tied at the hip, so they will be both subject to constant attacks.
The US is playing with fire here. If it starts to respond in kind, we could see the Middle East go up in flames.
The last thing we need is for another regional war to break out.
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