The United States seeks to form a broad naval coalition to prevent Houthi attacks.

The United States seeks to form the “broadest possible” maritime coalition to protect ships in the Red Sea and send a “significant signal” to the Houthis in Yemen that further attacks will not be tolerated, according to the U.S. envoy for Yemen.

Houthi Threats and the War in Gaza

The Iran-backed Houthis have attacked ships in shipping lanes in the Red Sea and launched drones and missiles at Israel since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began more than two months ago, raising concerns about a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Formation of an International Maritime Coalition

Last week, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced that Washington is in talks with other countries to form a maritime force to ensure “safe passage for ships in the Red Sea,” but he did not provide further details.

Expanding the Current Coalition

The United States aims to expand the existing international maritime coalition in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, known as the Combined Task Force, consisting of 39 nations and led by the Deputy Admiral of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain.

Call for De-escalation

Lindsey King calls for de-escalation and the release of the crew of the ship that was detained on November 19, not disclosing the countries that have been contacted or their number, but he stated that the coalition should be the “broadest possible coalition.”

Houthi Threats and Maritime Security

The Houthi attacks launched from Yemen pose a threat to supply flows between Asia and the West, representing a significant threat to the global economy. These attacks have driven up the cost of shipping goods across the Red Sea, which is considered by the London insurance market to be among high-risk areas.

Impact on the Global Economy

About 23,000 ships pass annually through the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait, linking the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and extending to the Suez Canal. A responsible source in groups linked to Iran stated last week that the Houthi attacks aim to increase pressure on Washington to force Israel to stop its assault on Gaza.

Source: https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/12/14/US-wants-broadest-possible-maritime-coalition-to-prevent-Houthi-attacks