Ten states against Houthi missiles
USA forges defense pact for Red Sea
December 19, 2023, 5:12 a.m
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After rocket attacks by Houthi rebels on freighters in the Red Sea, international shipping companies are now avoiding the Suez Canal. The USA establishes an international alliance that will carry out joint patrols. It is still unclear how powerful the ten-state alliance will be.
The USA announces the establishment of a multinational alliance to secure sea routes in the Red Sea. “This is an international challenge that requires collective action. That’s why today I’m announcing the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a major new multinational security initiative,” said US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during a visit to Bahrain. Great Britain, Bahrain, France, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles and Spain are involved. Joint patrols are planned in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The danger comes primarily from the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are allied with Hamas. There was initially no statement from the Houthis. The Houthis have threatened to attack all ships heading to Israel and warned international shipowners not to call at Israeli ports. Earlier, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, told Al Jazeera television that his group was capable of opposing any US-led coalition sent to the Red Sea. On Monday they claimed responsibility for drone attacks on two more ships in the Red Sea.
Shipping companies stop route through Suez Canal
It is unclear whether the states involved are prepared to do what US warships have done in recent days – shoot down Houthi missiles and drones and come to the aid of attacked merchant ships. In view of the attacks, major shipping companies are avoiding the Suez Canal for the time being. The world’s largest container shipping company MSC, the Danish shipping company AP Moller-Maersk, the French shipping company CMA CGM and the Taiwanese container shipping company Evergreen have stopped their container transports through the area. The German Hapag-Lloyd will also no longer sail through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea until further notice.
Around 15 percent of global shipping traffic passes through the Suez Canal, the shortest route between Europe and Asia. The detour around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa leads to longer travel times and higher prices. The rebels had announced that they would continue their attacks until the end of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. They had also fired drones and rockets towards Israel in recent weeks.