In this photo released on November 20, 2023, the Galaxy Leader cargo ship is being dragged by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. /Reuters Yonhap News
The United States engaged in direct combat for the first time in the Red Sea near Israel with Yemen’s Houthi rebels, an Islamic militant group supported by Iran. Since October of last year, while Israel has been waging war against the Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas, Houthi rebels have been attacking civilian ships one after another in the Red Sea strait, where many international container ships pass.
On the 31st of last month (local time), the U.S. Central Command announced on social media The U.S. military received an emergency rescue request from the Singapore-flagged container ship Maersk Hangzhou, which was passing through the Red Sea, at around 6:30 a.m. on this day, saying it was under attack by Houthi rebels, and immediately dispatched the Eisenhower aircraft carrier and helicopters. The Central Command said, “The Houthi speedboat fired at the helicopter and fired back in self-defense,” adding, “Three of the four speedboats were sunk.” According to AP, 10 Houthi rebels were killed in the fighting that day. It was reported that no U.S. casualties were reported.
US aircraft carrier Eisenhower/US Department of Defense
This is the first time that the U.S. military directly engaged in combat with Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and killed a rebel member. The Houthis have launched more than 20 missile and drone attacks targeting ships passing through the Red Sea, demanding an end to Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip. John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the White House National Security Council (NSC), said on this day, “We do not want a war with the Houthis, but the United States will continue to do what it must to protect ships.” In response, the Houthis said, “Our fighters were martyred due to the US attack. “The enemy will bear the consequences and consequences of his crimes.” There are also concerns that tensions between the so-called ‘Axis of Resistance’ (anti-Israel groups in the Middle East supported by Iran) led by the Houthis and Western countries could increase significantly. The Guardian reported, “The UK is considering airstrikes against the Houthis,” and “the UK and the US are preparing a joint statement to issue a final warning to the Houthis.”
Meanwhile, the shipping industry froze again due to the fighting that day. Earlier, when the United States announced ‘Operation Guardian of Prosperity’, in which multinational fleets participate to protect ships in the Red Sea, some shipping companies declared the resumption of operations, which again increased the level of tension in the region. Denmark’s Maersk, the world’s second-largest shipping company, announced on the 24th of last month that it would resume sailings of some ships, but decided to completely suspend sailings through the Red Sea again due to the attack that day. The Red Sea is a key trade route through which approximately 12% of world trade passes. It is connected to the Suez Canal, which is essential for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe.
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2024-01-01 06:30:22
