On Monday, the United States announced that it would launch a multinational coalition force to safeguard trade in the Red Sea after about a dozen shipping lines were forced to suspend their operations due to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that they will design a “multinational security initiative” in which countries like Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Seychelles, and the United Kingdom would be a part. He added that the threat posed by this “non-state actor” can be addressed only by the collective action of many states that want to uphold the foundational principle of freedom of navigation.
This announcement came after reports of the US and UK having shot down a total of 15 drones in their international waterways over the weekend.
More countries are about to be included in this Multinational Coalition
There are reports that suggest that Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia might also join this coalition, as they have a vested interest in ensuring the safe passage of ships in the Red Sea near their borders.
However, doubts still remain about whether this will become a reality or not, because at present, these Middle Eastern countries are believed to be in a difficult situation. A journalist from AL JAZEERA that Saudi Arabia could possibly be signing a deal with the Houthi rebels in Yemen. In the case of Egypt, it is believed that they would not be ready to go against Houthi rebels at this time.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a call with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Monday to discuss possible ways to take care of the current situation without further conflict. He was also scheduled to hold meetings in Bahrain and Qatar this Tuesday.
Why are the Yemen Houthi rebels attacking ships in the Red Sea?
Yemen Houthi Rebel forces have been attacking shipping vessels in the Red Sea for the last few days with missiles and drones in support of the war-struck Palestine. Israel’s campaign to eradicate Hamas militants after the massacre they committed on October 7 has left Gaza in ruins, along with widespread hunger and homelessness and a huge death toll. Houthi official Mohammed Abdulsalam said in a statement that Houthi rebels are attacking only Israeli ships or those going to Israel.
He said that these attacks would continue until the war in the Gaza Strip stops and food and medicine are allowed to enter the country. He added that they would continuously support Gaza and the oppressed Palestinian people there until the end. He said that their position on the Palestinian issue will not change whether a naval alliance is established or not.
This Monday, the rebel group took responsibility for the attack on the Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic ship and the MSC Clara ship, using naval drones to show their solidarity with Palestinians in the war-struck Gaza.
Shipping companies are avoiding the Red Sea for trade after attacks by Houthi Militants
Yemen’s Houthi militants have disrupted international maritime trade through the Suez Canal with their attacks on ships of major shipping companies in the Red Sea. Companies have been forced to pause their trade through Suez Cannal or re-route to a much longer east-west route around the southern tip of Africa. This re-routing because of Houthi attacks is affecting global trade. It is forcing shipping companies to take a longer route and sail around Africa, which is imposing higher costs and delays in the delivery of energy, food, and consumer goods.
For now, at least 12 major shipping companies have suspended trade through the Red Sea due to safety concerns. This includes the Italian-Swiss giant Mediterranean Shipping Company, France’s CMA CGM, and Denmark’s AP Moller-Maersk, along with the UK oil giant BP, which on Monday became the latest firm to haul trade through the Red Sea.
It has been reported that about 12 percent of international trading ships have to pass through the Red Sea, which connects to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal, including 30 percent of container traffic, making it an important trade route.
What will be the future of the Red Sea?
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has condemned the continued attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea. In a statement, he urged cooperation among all US partners to safeguard maritime security by joining the multinational coalition.
However, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior Houthi official, conveyed in a statement through a post on Tuesday that they will not stop their military operations even if America is successful in mobilising the entire world against them. He said that they would only halt their attacks if Israel’s invasion of Gaza stopped and food, medicines, and fuel is allowed to reach the people there.
