US announces 10-nation force against Houthis in Red Sea
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Reuters photo.
Washington: The United States on Monday announced a 10-nation multinational security initiative to defend trade in the Red Sea after Houthis of Yemen started attacking shipping lines, forcing shipping firms to suspend operations in the region, Al Jazeera reported.
The Houthis stated that they are attacking only US-led coalition vessels in a bid to extend their support to the Gazans. They reportedly increased drone attacks on the shipping lines after Israel started its offensive following Hamas’s October 7 attacks. They are targeting ships which are linked to Israel.
They said on Monday that they had attacked a Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic and the MSC Clara using drones. But Swan Atlantic’s owner, Norway’s Inventor Chemical Tankers, said that the ship is not linked to Israel but is operated by a firm based in Singapore.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin listed nations such as Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Seychelles, and the United Kingdom would be in the multinational defence force.
Austin said that nations that wish to uphold the foundational principle of freedom of navigation must join hands with the force against a challenge posed by a “non-state actor”. He added that a collective action is needed.
Austin’s announcement came after US and UK navies informed that they had destroyed more than 15 drones in the water over the weekend.
There are speculations that the 10-nation coalition is likely to include Egypt and Jordan since there is only one Arab nation, Bahrain. This is because the duo have vested interests in the safe passage of ships.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the attacks on commercial ships operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea by the Houthis. He stated that there must be cooperation between all partners to uphold maritime security.
The Houthi attacks have forced companies to change shipping courses and sail around Africa, which imposes higher costs and delays for energy, food as well as consumer goods deliveries. About 12 per cent of the global trade passes through the Red Sea, which connects the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal. Al Jazeera reports.