US-Led Patrol Force Formed In Red Sea To Counter Attacks On Commercial Ships By Houthis

Several countries have agreed to jointly carry out patrols against attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who are backing Palestinians.

Several countries have agreed to jointly carry out patrols against attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who are backing Palestinians. ( Image Source :Getty )

A patrol force led by the United States has agreed to jointly carry out patrols in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in a bid to safeguard commercial shipping against attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. According to news agency Reuters, several countries have agreed to jointly carry out patrols against attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have said that they are backing Palestinians.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is on a visit to Bahrain, identified the countries that are going to take part in an international force.There is, however, no clarity as to whether those countries are willing to do what U.S. warships have done in recent days: shoot down Houthi missiles and drones and rush to the aid of commercial ships.

"This is an international challenge that demands collective action. Therefore, today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative," Austin said in a statement on Tuesday, as quoted by Reuters.

It identified the nations taking part, led by the US, as including, among others, Bahrain, Britain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles, and Spain. The Houthis have waded into the conflict between Israel and Hamas by launching an attack on the vessels in crucial shipping lanes and even firing drones and missiles at Israel.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that Houthis attacked two commercial shipping vessels in the southern Red Sea on Monday, Reuters reported. The chemical/oil tanker motor vessel Swan Atlantic was attacked by a drone and an anti-ship ballistic missile, it said.

In another incident that occurred around the same time, the bulk cargo ship MSC Clara reported an explosion in the water near its location, CENTCOM stated. No injuries were reported by either vessel.

On Monday, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea identified the same vessels as being attacked and said that drones were used because the crews failed to respond to calls from the group.

Houthis Threatened To Target All Ships Heading To Israel

The Houthis have issued threats and said that they will target all ships heading to Israel, regardless of their nationality, and have also warned international shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports, as reported by Reuters.

Speaking to Al Jazeera on Monday, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi politburo, said that his group would be able to confront any U.S.-led coalition that could deploy to the Red Sea. The State Department said that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a call with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Monday, condemned the Houthi's attacks on commercial vessels.