Le Monde Warns of Gaza War Escalating to Red Sea Regional Conflict

Le Monde has reported rising tensions in the Red Sea, as the United States and the United Kingdom respond to Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian cause, signifying regional instability. The French newspaper, in its editorial, clarified that the vigorous American response, backed by Britain, to the Houthis was inevitable at a time when Israel's devastating attack on Gaza entered its fourth month. The paper warned that the Houthi attacks targeting, as they claim, shipping vessels heading only to Israel could have severe global consequences if it ends with navigation being blocked in this vital axis. This compels the United States to adopt some form of geopolitical balancing act. With intensive bombings on Houthi positions, which have shown great resilience in the past, the United States plays into the hands of the group, which could use this confrontation to justify its iron grip on territories, according to Le Monde. The difficulty faced by the United States in establishing a maritime coalition aimed at preventing these attacks reflects the existing obstacles. It also mirrors the discomfort felt by neighboring countries, especially Saudi Arabia, which fears escalation will only lead to more losses. Particularly since Riyadh is primarily concerned with reaching a ceasefire as a prelude to disengaging from the Yemeni quagmire it has been involved in since 2015, the newspaper states. This has been the subject of difficult negotiations, currently on hold, with Sanaa and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, with Saudi support. Any slip-up could serve the interests of Iran, which provides military support to the ideologically aligned Houthi movement with Tehran. Yemen, having been mired in a civil war for a decade resulting in a humanitarian catastrophe, would also not escape the impact of shipping disruptions in the Red Sea. Food aid, which most of the population relies on, passes through the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah. Le Monde concludes that these tensions notably point to the regional instability, magnified tenfold by the war in Gaza, and confirms many humanitarian considerations that urge for the end of a war rendering this narrow strip of land uninhabitable, not just for the leaders of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) but also for all the besieged Palestinian civilians there.