United States Ramps up Pressure on Iran Over Red Sea Attacks on Ships
According to recent intelligence released by the White House, Iran allegedly supplies the Houthi militants with drones, missiles, and strategic intelligence. A close examination of the visuals revealed a striking resemblance between Iranian drones and missiles and those used by the Houthis. Furthermore, the Houthi's reliance on Iran's maritime surveillance systems is evident.
White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson noted that this intelligence-backed information was instrumental in guiding the Houthi attacks on merchant ships since November.
Since the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Iran-linked Houthi have continuously launched drones and missiles at Israel, with the most recent arcs targeting ships in the Red Sea on multiple occasions. The US Department of Defense confirmed that the Houthi rebels conducted over a hundred drone and missile attacks on ten merchant vessels in the Red Sea.
These strategic waterways, including the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, are pivotal trade routes with approximately 20,000 ships passing through the Suez Canal annually. Yemen's location on the Bab-al-Mandeb strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden highlights the region's significance in global commerce.
The escalated Houthi attacks on container ships prompted several freighters to avoid sailing through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. In response to these events, several shipping companies halted voyages through the strait in recent days.
As a means to safeguard commercial shipping, the United States announced the formation of an international military coalition, joined by 20 countries at the start of the week. Additionally, the US has strengthened its military presence in the Gulf of Aden with the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Reports suggest that President Joe Biden's administration is contemplating military strikes if the attacks on the ships persist. Houthi militia leader Abdel-Malek al-Huthi threatened retaliatory actions against potential US attacks.
Although the extent of the Houthis' obedience to Tehran remains unclear, the Iran-backed Houthi share the "paranoid" mindset of the religious leadership in Iran, according to expert Michael Knights from the Institute for Middle East Policy in Washington. He described the Houthi as a North Korea-like entity, "an isolated, aggressive, well-armed actor hostile to the United States, and in a geographically significant position."
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Iran's connection to the Houthi attacks has been questioned, with diplomatic circles suggesting that the Houthis maintain the "weakest" ties to Tehran among other pro-Iranian groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. However, experts accuse Iran of supplying the Houthi with arms, intelligence, and missile and drone technology, which has enabled their hostile activities.
The US has adopted various strategies to counter these threats, including leading coalition air and missile strikes against Houthi targets and redesignating them as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Interdiction missions and targeted strikes against Houthi and proxy positions are being considered to prevent their rearmament and continued attacks on shipping. Diplomatic pressure is also employed to underscore the US commitment to securing free commerce in the Red Sea.
