The United States and its allies are seeking to deter the Houthis, after the Iranian-backed group launched new attacks on naval and commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Politico quoted an official familiar with the matter as saying that in recent days, the Pentagon transferred the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, to support the possible American response to the attacks.
He added that the US military also provided commanders with “options to carry out strikes against the Houthis.”
The American newspaper reported that the Biden administration was “hesitant to respond militarily to the Houthi attacks for fear of provoking Iran, which supports Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis,” adding, “But the significant increase in attacks in recent days may prompt senior US national security officials to change their calculations.”
Consultations within the Pentagon are moving towards determining whether these potential strikes will directly target Houthi military targets in Yemen.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed, earlier this week, that Washington is working with the international community to deal with the Houthi threat.
#Politico #United #States #response #options #Houthis
2023-12-17 10:33:42
