Pentagon announces international task force to protect commercial vessels in Red Sea from Houthis
Mike Brest
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the establishment of a new international effort to protect commercial vessels that have increasingly come under attack from the Houthis in the waterways in the Middle East.
The Yemen-based Houthis have repeatedly attacked commercial ships with drones and missiles in recent weeks, and they seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship, taking its crew hostage last month. U.S. officials had discussed in recent days their efforts toward such an international initiative.
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“Operation Prosperity Guardian is bringing together multiple countries to include the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain, to jointly address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with the goal of ensuring freedom of navigation for all countries and bolstering regional security and prosperity,” Austin said in a statement on Monday.
Austin’s announcement comes after a group of shipping companies, including oil firm BP, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM, have all separately announced in recent days their intent to pause shipping through the Red Sea.
“The recent escalation in reckless Houthi attacks originating from Yemen threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law,” Austin added. “The Red Sea is a critical waterway that has been essential to freedom of navigation and a major commercial corridor that facilitates international trade. Countries that seek to uphold the foundational principle of freedom of navigation must come together to tackle the challenge posed by this non-state actor launching ballistic missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) at merchant vessels from many nations lawfully transiting international waters.”
The initiative falls under the Combined Maritime Forces umbrella and the leadership of Task Force 153, which is focused on security in the Red Sea.
The Houthis, which have Iranian support, have increased the frequency of these attacks in recent weeks, while the group’s spokesperson has said they’re carrying out these attacks due to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
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Iran’s Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said last week that such a task force would create “extraordinary problems.”
The U.S. has not responded militarily to the Houthi attacks, while the two most recent former commanders of U.S. Central Command have publicly called for a military response.