US-Led Coalition Warns Houthis to Stop Red Sea Attacks

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Facts

  • The US and 12 other countries issued a joint statement on Wednesday warning Yemen's Houthi rebels that attacks in the Red Sea are 'illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing,' adding that they would 'bear the responsibility of the consequences' if such incidents continue.1
  • Since Dec. 19, the Houthis have carried out over 20 attacks on Red Sea shipping vessels allegedly linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. In response to their latest attack on a cargo ship on New Year's Eve, US Navy helicopters reportedly sank three Houthi boats and killed at least 10 Houthi fighters.2
  • The UK, Australia, Denmark, Germany, and Singapore are among the 12 signatories. Bahrain — which has a strained relationship with alleged Houthi backer Iran — is the only Middle East country to have signed the statement.3
  • This comes after the US, UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain announced the creation of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an initiative to ensure 'freedom of navigation' and bolster 'regional security and prosperity' in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden maritime regions.4
  • Elsewhere, speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in New York, US Ambassador Chris Lu claimed that an 'inflection point' had been reached in the Red Sea and accused Iran of 'long-enabl[ing]' the 'root of the problem' by financing Houthi operations.5
  • Meanwhile, the military spokesman for Houthis, Yahya Sare'e, posting on X, formerly Twitter, has warned the 'American enemy' and its allies of the consequences of military escalation.6

Sources: 1The White House, 2Associated Press, 3Al Jazeera, 4U.S. Department of Defense, 5usun.usmission.gov and 6PressTV.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The Messenger. The international community must rally to counter the Houthi rebels. While the US' defensive responses to the continued attacks in the Red Sea have been impressively executed, only proactive military action will end the militants' terrorization of shipping routes. Unless the head of the snake is cut off, the Iran-backed rebels will continue to increase the gravity of their illegal activities. The US and its allies must use force to provide a definitive end to the Red Sea chaos before even more harm is caused.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Tasnim News Agency. Yemen's Armed Forces will continue to engage in missile and drone attacks against Western forces as long as the genocidal siege of the Gaza Strip persists. US-led task forces will continue to be unsuccessful in their attempts to suppress the voices and actions of those who continue to fight back against the relentless and illegal deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian women and children. Yemen will continue to act as per their religious, ethical, and humanitarian morals compel them to.

Predictions