The multinational security operation Prosperity Guardian, of which Bahrain is a member, protects trade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, curbs piracy and armed robbery on commercial ships, maintains supply and energy chains, and protects the region. It has the potential to enhance security and safety. prosperity.
Bahrain has announced it will join a US-led multinational force formed to protect the Red Sea from attacks by Houthi militants, also known as Ansarullah fighters. The Houthi militants vowed to halt all shipping and shipping through the Red Sea to Israel unless the war in Gaza stops, prompting a firm response from the international community. Given the threat posed by the Houthi presence, it is overdue. the security of this important trade pipeline and the surrounding Gulf Arab states;
Targeting Red Sea Shipping
In the first major attack on an Israeli-linked vessel, Houthi militants hijacked the Galaxy Leader on November 19, anchored it in the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah, and then moved it further north. and reportedly turned it into a “tourist attraction”. Over the past month, Houthi forces have attacked many ships and cargo ships, including those of Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, and several others such as MSC Shipping, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd. Forced attacks on global container shipping companies. Maersk and CMA CGM recently announced that they would resume vessel operations depending on the situation on December 24 and December 26, but suspended Red Sea Strait traffic in mid-December.
The war will ultimately end at heavy cost to both Israelis and Palestinians, as Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea continue, as well as continued bombing of Gaza. The war started by Hamas has so far resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians on both sides. Aside from recent claims by the Revolutionary Guards that the October 7 Hamas attack was in retaliation for the killing of Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, the Houthis’ involvement is a direct link to the Ayatollah regime’s involvement in the war. The US is clearly emphasizing this, and the US is looking forward to this development. respond.
The Red Sea accounts for 40% of trade exchanges between Asia and Europe, with 1,000 ships passing through it every day. The Houthis’ reckless actions are not productive in terms of war, but instead target global economic security, resulting in supply chain disruptions, increased transportation and insurance costs, and This has resulted in an increase of more than $30 in the price of imported materials. percent.
On December 18, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the creation of a multinational force to combat this, saying, “This is an international challenge that requires collective action.” Austin added that Operation Prosperity Guardian is an effort under “the leadership of the Joint Maritime Command and its Task Force 153.” Joint Task Force 153 was established in April 2022 to improve maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden. will be participating in this latest effort.
Therefore, the multinational security operation “Prosperity Guardian” will protect trade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, curb piracy and armed robbery on commercial ships, maintain supply and energy chains, and ensure regional security and prosperity. Strengthen.
Bahrain’s presence in the Prosperity Guardian Force comes as a result of its commitment to international agreements and, more importantly, its contribution to maintaining regional security. Bahrain is well aware that the Houthis are seeking to provoke a larger war in the region, expand the scope of the conflict, and further the Iranian regime’s aim to expand and spread its extremist so-called Islamic Revolution. are doing.
Bahrain once again announces new measures to ensure international peace and security, regional security and stability, the maintenance of the prosperity of its people, the sustainability of development, safety of navigation, freedom of trade and trade capacity. It is the headquarters of Confront challenges and eliminate terrorist organizations. It is also self-evident that Bahrain will join the Prosperity Guardian Coalition to protect national and regional security.
Once again, Bahrain’s participation comes within the United Nations powers to maintain safety of navigation in the Gulf of Aden. This is a continuation of the work of Bahrain’s International Counter-Piracy Task Force, which has achieved remarkable results in securing global shipping lanes. It is also a continuation of Bahrain’s effective participation in all international coalitions to eliminate terrorist organizations, including but not limited to the International Coalition to Eliminate ISIS.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s choice of Bahrain as the location to announce this new alliance underscores the importance of Saudi Arabia in maintaining international security and stability and the importance of international strategic alliances to address these issues. confirmed Bahrain’s position in
Within Bahrain, public reaction to the announcement was mixed, with support for both sides and a minority movement condemning the alliance. These included statements by Iranian-backed individuals, political groups backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, people with communist and Arab nationalist ideologies, and the Islamic Republic of Iran itself.
Houthi attacks – a deep problem
Nevertheless, many Bahrainis believe that any action against the Houthis would not only be aimed at protecting the Red Sea Strait, but would also put an end to the military wing of Yemen’s Ayatollah regime, which has long been a challenge for Gulf Arab states. I am aware that I will be hitting. Current targeting of Red Sea vessels. This extremist group has killed hundreds of Bahraini, Emirati, and Saudi youths on a mission on the Yemeni-Saudi border to prevent Iranian proxies from entering our country. These soldiers from the Gulf region sacrificed their lives to protect stability and security in the region. In fact, a week before Hamas’s brutal attack on Israeli civilians, the Houthis attacked Bahraini troops stationed on Saudi Arabia’s southern border, killing four Bahraini soldiers. Another Bahraini soldier also died from his injuries.
Bahrain is home to U.S. Navy Central Command, the U.S. 5th Fleet, and the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and Bahrain and the United States have a history of strategic partnership. These efforts reflect how Saudi Arabia is working to strengthen its regional security partnership. But Manama also expects the United States to play a key role in achieving regional security through the fight against extremism and terrorism through a comprehensive security integration and prosperity agreement between the two countries.
This latest coordination effort comes as relations between Bahrain and the United States continue to be on good terms, but the recent Houthi attacks have prompted the United States to respond to both current and recent actions by the Houthis. It emphasizes the need to reconsider attitudes towards the Houthis. In February 2021, the Biden administration removed the Houthis from the U.S. list of officially designated terrorists shortly after the initial designation. However, the Manama government expects the US government to invest in counterterrorism operations that can significantly thwart multiple terrorist organizations.
The U.S. government has also forgotten that in difficult times it expects strategic allies to act on requests to designate organizations that continue to be funded by regional adversaries, particularly Iran, as terrorist organizations. must not. Previous US stances towards the Houthis have disappointed this region of the world, but it is equally unlikely that the US government will reconsider its approach towards the Houthis, including the decision to remove them from the list of designated terrorist organizations. There are similar expectations. More broadly, the international community should recognize that the designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization is important not only for their current ship hijackings, but also for their continued targeting of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain. be.
In fact, what we want from this current coalition is to eliminate all forms of piracy carried out by the Houthi militias and to eliminate the transfer of arms and supplies across the seas in support of this terrorist group. The purpose is to prevent
The Houthi militia has been wreaking havoc and destruction in Yemen for years, seeking to destabilize regional security and stability, and launching missiles and drones targeting Gulf states. Creating a war zone in the Red Sea is just their latest attempt at destabilization. The ship hijacking incident finally made the United States realize that it cannot and must not be soft on terrorists, including those aligned with the current Iranian regime. The coalition may have been late, with the Houthis now controlling Yemen’s strategic ports such as Hodeidah, but better late than never.