IN the wake of brewing tensions in the Middle East, the United States announced a ten-nation maritime task force designed to counter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea – a strategic waterway where up to twelve percent of global trade passes through each year.
The multinational coalition known as the Operation Prosperity Guardian consists of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Bahrain, Seychelles, and Spain.
The US and other naval forces are already operating in the Red Sea to protect commercial ships but the new task force will help boost their security capabilities in the strategic waterway amid the latest wave of Houthi attacks.
Meanwhile, two cargo vessels in the Red Sea were targeted by drone attack on the same day that the US-led coalition was announced. The cargo vessels were identified as Panama-flagged MSC Clara and Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic.
A spokesman for the Houthi militants warned the group will continue to prevent all Israel-bound ships from sailing through the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea until food and medicines are allowed to enter Gaza.
The Iran-backed Houthis have attacked numerous vessels in recent weeks to protest Israel’s escalating military offensive in the war-torn enclave. The attacks forced several companies to stop sending cargo vessels in the strategic waterway amid deteriorating security conditions.
