Joe Biden urged to strike Houthis to stop Red Sea shipping attacks
Joe Biden has been urged to attack Houthi militants whose strikes on shipping have threatened to halt the passage of freighters through the Red Sea.
After a succession of missile strikes on various commercial vessels, two major shipping companies said they were pausing operations in the region, where as much as $1 trillion in goods passes through each year.
Danish shipping giant Maersk said it was halting operations in the Red Sea until further notice, after its ship MSC Palatium III came under attack.
The German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, whose vessel Al Jasrah was targeted, said it was also stopping operations through the critical area, which includes the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait.
In a statement on social media, the Danish firm said it was “deeply concerned” about the incident and urged action from the international community.
The attacks by the Houthis have increased sharply since the October 7 attack by Hamas in Israel, and appear to be intended as act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where the reported civilian death has passed 18,000.
“This issue cannot be addressed by the global shipping industry alone, and we urge the international society to come together to find a swift resolution to bring the situation under control,” Maersk said.
Security in the Red Sea area is the responsibility of a 39-nation coalition, known as Combined Task Force 153, and commanded by the vice-admiral of the US Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain.
Following the attacks, both US and French naval vessels have been sent to act as escorts and even shoot down drones deployed by the Houthis. Two US destroyers, USS Mason and the USS Carney, have been operating in the region.
Late on Friday, Ali al-Qahoum, a member of the Houthi group’s Ansarullah politburo, told Al Mayadeen TV that any hostile move against Yemen would have dire consequences and great costs, according to Reuters.
“The Houthis will not abandon the Palestinian cause, regardless of any US, Israeli, or Western threats,” he said, adding that operations against Israel would continue.
The White House has said it was trying to increase the number of nations involved in security in the region.
But there is pressure on Mr Biden to take more aggressive action.
Retired Marine Corps Gen Kenneth F McKenzie Jr, who commanded US Central Command (CENTCOM) from 2019-2022, told The Telegraph something needed to be done to “slow those attacks”.
“You can try it through escorting; it’s been done in the past. And that certainly is a possibility. And you can do it by demonstrating to the Houthis that it’s not in their best interest to continue these attacks,” he said.
“And you do that by attacking their missile launchers, their radar sites, their intelligence-gathering platforms, and that requires offensive action against the Houthis in Yemen. We have clearly not chosen to do that yet. We may yet make a decision to do that.”
Asked if he was urging Mr Biden to pursue such a course of action, he said such decisions were political rather than military. “I’m sure President Biden is considering that course of action,” he added.
He said the Houthis only had respect for “force”.
“I think the Houthis are going to continue these attacks. It costs them nothing to do it,” he said.
“They feel that they’re having some effect. Certainly escorting ships as a possibility. But I would think we will consider other options as well.”
The White House did not immediately respond to questions about what steps the US was planning.
On Friday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he had ordered the Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier and one other warship to remain in the Mediterranean Sea for several more weeks to maintain a two-carrier presence near Israel.
In addition, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby told reporters there would be more details announced about the maritime task force in coming days.
A week ago, a ballistic missile fired by the Yemen-based rebels, widely believed to have links to Iran, hit a Norwegian-flagged tanker in the Red Sea.
The militants claimed responsibility for the attack on the Strinda, and said without providing evidence, it was laden with oil and heading to Israel.
“The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a qualitative military operation against the Norwegian ship Strinda, which was loaded with oil and headed to the Israeli entity. It was targeted with a suitable naval missile,” Houthi military spokesperson Brig Gen Yahya Saree wrote on social media.
Nilanthi Samaranayake, an author and expert on the Indian Ocean, said there was intense attention on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, through which about 23,000 ships pass each year.
“It’s definitely a serious challenge. The US and partner nations should be taking seriously the safety and security of the Indian Ocean,” said Ms Samaranayake, a visiting expert at the United States Institute for Peace.
She said the Indian Ocean was one area where the interests of multiple nations aligned.
“Many nations rely on safe and peaceful sea lanes,” said Ms Samaranayake, whose books include “China’s Engagement with Smaller South Asian Countries”.
What may not yet be clear is what the Shia Islam Houthis are seeking to achieve in their efforts other than to offer an act of symbolic support for the Palestinians.
The rebels seized control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, and have been engaged in a war against the government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, the US and the UK.
According to the UN, tens of thousands have been killed, at least 4.5 million people have been displaced, and 80 per cent of the population is in need of humanitarian aid.
