The United States led a final call on Wednesday for the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen to halt attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, warning of “consequences” if they continued.
Final Warning
The joint statement signed by 12 countries reads: “Let our message be clear now: we demand an immediate end to these illegal attacks and the release of the ships and their crews being unlawfully held.” The statement added, “The Houthis will bear responsibility for the consequences if they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and the freedom of trade in the vital waterways of the region.”
Houthi Attacks
U.S. military forces reported that the Houthis have carried out at least 24 attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea since November 19. The most recent attack occurred on Tuesday, when U.S. military forces stated that the Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
Escalation of Houthi Attacks
The joint statement issued on Wednesday condemned the “significant escalation” of Houthi attacks in the past week, which threaten one of the world’s most important waterways. The statement was signed by the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
International Implications
The joint statement said: “These attacks threaten the lives of innocent people from around the world and pose a serious international problem that requires collective intervention.”
U.S. Response
In response to the Houthi attacks on commercial tankers, which they said would target their operations with Israel, the United States formed a naval task force to protect the ships. General Joseph Votel, former commander of U.S. Central Command, stated that the naval force was a way to try to mitigate risks but added that “without direct operational consequences, it is unlikely to restrict Houthi actions more quickly.”
Global Response
Despite the modest public involvement from countries around the world, with only one Arab participation, the United States announced “Operation Prosperity Guardian” in the Red Sea. The joint force was an expansion of the U.S.-led Combined Task Force, Combined Task Force 153, which currently has its base in Bahrain. Currently, Combined Task Force 153 includes 39 member nations.
Potential U.S. Response
U.S. defense and military officials are discussing a reaction to Iranian-backed attacks in the Middle East, including those carried out by the Houthis, awaiting the green light from the Biden administration, according to officials and sources familiar with the matter.
Impact on Political Behavior
Votel, the former Central Command chief, noted that the Houthis, motivated by Iran, are trying to push as far as they can to set “real red lines” for us. He said, “Strategically and operationally, we are accepting a lot of risks.”
The former Central Command chief also pointed out that other American adversaries are monitoring how Washington responds.
He said, “I would say that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and violent terrorist organizations are watching how we respond to this situation and will try to draw their own conclusions.”
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