The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) fires its Mark 45, 5-inch 54-caliber gun during an integrated live-fire event, March 30, 2023, in the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tyler Thompson)
More than 20 countries have joined the United States-led coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from attacks by Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah), the Pentagon revealed on December 21.
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, are a part of the so-called Axis of Resistance that is backed by Iran and opposes Israel. The group has fired several missiles and drones at the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat since the beginning of the Israeli war on the Palestinian Gaza Strip. It also assaulted a number of Israeli-owned ships and announced a blockade on all ships heading to Israel.
“We’ve had over 20 nations now sign on to participate” in the coalition, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists.
Ryder said the Houthis are “attacking the economic wellbeing and prosperity of nations around the world,” effectively becoming “bandits along the international highway that is the Red Sea.”
Coalition forces will “serve as a highway patrol of sorts, patrolling the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to respond to — and assist as necessary — commercial vessels that are transiting this vital international waterway,” he said, calling on the Houthis to cease their attacks.
So far, at least ten ships have been attacked by the Houthis and another was seized and is currently being held with its crew in Yemen.
The United States announced the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea on December 18. At the time, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain were named as members of the coalition.
Leader of the Houthis, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, warned two days later that the group would strike back if Yemen was attacked.
The U.S. is reportedly considering strikes against the Houthis. Such a move is guaranteed to spark a serious military confrontation. The Iranian-backed group maintains a large arsenal of advanced anti-ship weapons and never hesitated to respond to attacks against its territory in Yemen.
