Washington – During a visit to Israel on Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the establishment of a "maritime task force" and reiterated that the increasing number of Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea represents an international problem requiring an international solution.
Austin stated, "These attacks are reckless and dangerous, violate international law, and thus, we are taking actions to build an international coalition to confront this threat."
It is believed that the Houthi militants in Yemen have carried out about 12 attacks on commercial shipping in the southern Red Sea, including companies they believe are associated with Israel, in response to the aggression on Gaza Strip following an attack by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on October 7.
As a safety precaution, several international shipping companies have notified their vessels not to enter the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which separates the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden. Four of the world's top five container shipping companies, representing 53% of global container trade, have suspended operations in the Red Sea, dealing a significant blow to the global economy.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (left) announces from Israel the building of an international coalition to confront the Houthi threat in the Red Sea (Reuters)
Raising the Cost of Conflict
In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Charles Dunn, a former official at the White House and U.S. Department of State and expert at the Arab Institute in Washington, believed that "attacking ships in the Red Sea increases the cost of the Gaza conflict on the international community, with the realization of significant direct retaliation from Israel and the United States."
The Pentagon's announcement of the creation of a multinational maritime task force to protect commercial ships from the Houthi missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which escalated following the war between Israel and Hamas, came as a surprise to American observers.
Officials said the task force, known as "Operation Prosperity Protection," will include participant nations in the new U.S. effort: United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain, each contributing ships and other resources.
Meanwhile, Trita Parsi, Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and lecturer at Georgetown University in Washington, tweeted on platform "X", stating, "Not a single Red Sea nation agreed to join the American coalition for its protection. Only one Arab state joined, Bahrain. What does this tell us about the appeal of President Joe Biden's diplomacy? How would the coalition have looked if Biden supported a ceasefire in Gaza?"
It was evident that none of the Red Sea border states were present; these include: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea and Israel.
Last December, the Egyptian Navy assumed command of a new maritime task force formed by the U.S. Fifth Fleet under the name "Task Force 153," established in 2019 by 34 countries to protect maritime shipping from Iran's attacks.
Egypt conducts patrols in the Red Sea and the waters off the Yemeni coast to enhance surveillance activities and enforce arms and drug contraband bans. According to Pentagon plans, Cairo is well positioned to participate in a collective American-led effort against Iran and its allies.
One of the Most Important Routes
The Red Sea is one of the world's most crucial routes for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, as well as for consumer goods.
Oil giant British Petroleum (BP) halted all oil shipping operations through the Red Sea following the recent attacks by the Houthis. The company blamed the "deteriorating security situation," and several shipping companies suspended their voyages as attacks continued.
On Monday, Evergreen Line, one of the world's largest shipping companies, announced it would no longer carry Israeli cargoes through the Red Sea. The company explained, "For the safety of vessels and their crews, we have decided to temporarily stop accepting Israeli goods with immediate effect and have instructed our container ships to suspend navigation through the Red Sea until further notice."
Instead of using the Bab al-Mandab Strait, ships will now be forced to navigate around the southern tip of Africa, potentially adding about 10 days to the journey and costing millions of dollars. Experts estimate that around 30% of global container trade passes through the Suez Canal.
Oil and natural gas prices soared sharply on Monday, with oil recording steep gains on the news. Brent crude, the main global indicator, rose by 2.7 % to $78.64 a barrel, while U.S. crude increased by 2.8% to $73.44 a barrel.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), whose geographical scope extends from Pakistan in the east to Egypt in the west, released a statement published on platform "X," confirming yesterday's attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
The statement reported, "On December 18, around 9:00 a.m. (Sanaa time), two armed Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the southern Red Sea occurred. The chemical tanker SWAN ATLANTIC was attacked with a one-way attack drone and a ship-launched ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen."
It added that the Cayman Islands, under whose flag SWAN ATLANTIC operates, reported the vessel was affected and requested assistance, with the nearest U.S. warship responding to assess the damage.
At approximately the same time, the cargo vessel "MF CLARA" reported an explosion near its location. This attack is separate from the attack on SWAN ATLANTIC. No support request or damage report was issued. No injuries were reported in either incident.
Reports detailed alternatives that the Biden administration is considering to respond to the Houthis following their attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Axios reported from U.S. officials that "the Biden administration recently sent messages to the Houthis in Yemen through various channels warning them of the consequences of not stopping their attacks on ships and against Israel."
Clear Threat
Researcher Michael Knights of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy considered that during the Gaza war, the Houthis emerged as "the most risk-tolerant member of the Iranian resistance axis, especially with the clear threat it posed to international navigation."
Charles Dunn, former White House official, suspected a "tactical coordination between Tehran and the Houthis, and perhaps some strategic agreement, accusations that are not far-fetched."
Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the Houthis vowed to support the Palestinian resistance by all means possible. Indeed, several medium-range rockets were launched, all intercepted before hitting their targets in Israel.
On December 9, the Houthis threatened to target all vessels heading to Tel Aviv, regardless of their nationality, and warned all international shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports.
Weeks earlier, the Houthis downed a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone, and on December 4, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, "We are discussing with other countries about a maritime task force that includes ships from partner countries, alongside the United States, to ensure safe passage through the Red Sea."
Some members of Congress have urged the Biden administration to re-designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul issued a statement saying, "By prioritizing politics over security, this administration has emboldened the Houthis, enabled them to develop more advanced weapons, deepen their ties with Iran, and entrench their control over millions of innocent Yemenis."
He added, "Clearly, the Houthis pose a threat to Yemen, to our partners across the Middle East, to U.S. soldiers and citizens in the region, and to the freedom of international navigation and global trade. We must end this appeasement policy and take serious action against the Houthi threat by designating them a foreign terrorist organization, rather than empowering them."
Washington has recently imposed new sanctions on individuals financially supporting the Houthis, with the White House blaming Iran for providing them with weapons and training on how to use them.
