US organizes multinational navy deployment to Red Sea to protect merchant ships
The United States organized a multinational naval deployment to the Red Sea to defend against attacks on international shipping in the region. The announcement was made by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who is currently visiting Bahrain.
“The recent escalation of reckless attacks by the Houthis from Yemen threatens free commerce, endangers innocent seafarers, and violates international law,” Austin said from US Naval Command Middle East in Bahrain. said.
The US-led coalition, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, includes the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.
They would strengthen U.S.- and Egyptian-led forces already operating in the region.
The Iran-backed Houthis have begun targeting ships along major shipping routes in response to Israel’s war against Hamas. On Tuesday, militants said they had no intention of ceasing attacks on ships in the Red Sea, despite the announcement of the creation of a new marine protection force.
“Even if the US succeeds in mobilizing the entire world, our military operations will not stop…no matter the cost,” Houthi leader Mohammed al-Buhaiti said on Twitter.
The group added: “We will respond to any invasion with an unprecedented military operation.”
According to the United States, Houthi militants have attacked or captured commercial ships 12 times in the past four weeks and are still holding 25 members of the MV Galaxy leader hostage in Yemen.
Typically, about 12% of the world’s shipping traffic flows through the Suez Canal, the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia, into the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen.
Several major shipping companies have announced that they have decided to reroute their ships around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.