US-led Red Sea operation against Houthis: What we know so far

US-led Red Sea operation against Houthis: What we know so far

◾️The US has announced the launch of a multinational force "to protect trade in the Red Sea" after a series of Houthi attacks, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian.

◾️The Houthis have stepped up their missile and drone attacks against international vessels sailing through the Red Sea, in response to Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip.

Who’s on board with the operation?

◾️US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Monday that the US, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, the Seychelles and the UK are among the countries joining the initiative.

◾️ The Kingdom of Bahrain has become the one and only Arab country joining the new military coalition.

◾️The key countries of the region - the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan - are not included in the coalition. There is no official confirmation that the US invited them to participate.

Houthis Respond

◾️Houthi Defense Minister Major General Mohammad al-Atifi told Tasnim that the Houthis would ‘sink’ US warships, hours after Washington launched the operation, warning that "The Red Sea will be your graveyard" (photo 1).

◾️Muhammad Ali al-Houthi, a member of Yemen's Supreme Political Council (the Houthi government), noted on his X account on Tuesday that US "repeatedly sought direct communication with the Republic of Yemen in Sana’a, but this was rejected" (photo 2).

◾️In turn, member of the Ansar Allah political bureau, Mohammed Al-Bukaiti, took to X (formerly Twitter) to warn the new US-led coalition that the Houthis "will respond to any aggression with military operations that are unprecedented and not taken into account" (photo 3).