By Al-Fassel | 2023-12-11

The United States is leading an effort to expand a multinational naval partnership in the Red Sea as the Iran-backed Houthis continue to issue threats and stage attacks against international military and commercial vessels.

The French frigate Languedoc, which operates in the Red Sea, on Saturday (December 9) intercepted and destroyed two drones that were heading "directly towards" the vessel from the coast of Yemen, the French military said.

The interceptions -- using surface-to-air missiles of the Aster 15 type -- took place 110km off the Yemeni coast and the Houthi-controlled port of al-Hodeidah, AFP reported.

The French navy had not used surface-to-air missiles in self-defense before.

The incident came after the Houthis on Saturday threatened, in a statement posted on social media, to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports, regardless of which flag they sail under or the nationality of their owners or operators.

"We warn all ships and companies against dealing with Israeli ports," the statement said, adding that all "ships linked to Israel or that will transport goods to Israeli ports" are not welcome in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have launched a series of drones and missiles toward Israel in recent weeks from Yemen, and seized a cargo vessel last month.

A US guided missile destroyer in the Red Sea shot down multiple drones on December 3 while assisting three commercial ships that were targeted by attacks from Yemen, the US military said.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on two of the ships.

"We have every reason to believe that these attacks, while they were launched by the Houthis in Yemen, were fully enabled by Iran," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said during a December 4 briefing.

International solution

"These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and the freedom of navigation," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said during a December 7 briefing.

"They've jeopardized the lives of merchant sailors that represent multiple countries all around the world," Kirby said.

"And while they are launched by the Houthis, we certainly have every reason to believe that they're being enabled by Iran."

Kirby said the US State and Defense departments are leading a coordinated effort to strengthen and expand the 39-member, Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

According to a senior US government official, the plan is to expand the CMF's Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153), a military unit focused on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Washington Post reported December 10.

CTF 153 covers the Red Sea from the Suez Canal through Bab al-Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden, and east through the Gulf of Aden as far as Yemen's border with Oman.

The task force was launched in April 2022 and is led by a US Navy officer at present, though the responsibility changes hands. It reports to the commander of the US Navy's 5th Fleet.

"Our focus at this time is ensuring that there are sufficient military assets in place to deter these Houthi threats to maritime trade in the Red Sea and in the surrounding waters to the global economy writ large," Kirby said.

"We're also encouraging other like-minded nations to join this coalition, and we've actually heard some interest from several key partners that are interested in coming aboard," he said.

"And, of course, we are leading an international coordinated effort to condemn these Houthi attacks and their threat to global commerce," he said, including via the G7 and through targeted efforts through the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

"This is an international problem, and it demands an international solution," he said. "And that is exactly the approach that the United States is going to take to it."

'Iran ultimately responsible'

The first weekend of December saw four attacks against three commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea -- three vessels that are connected to 14 different nations, Sullivan said December 4.

This "goes to show you the extent to which this is truly a source of global concern and a threat to international peace and stability," he said.

"We do not believe that all three of the ships had ties to Israel," he said. "And it goes to show you the level of recklessness that the Houthis are — are operating on."

"Any ship they shoot at, whether it's Israeli-owned or has some connection in the past to Israel, that doesn't make it any more of a justifiable target under international law than if the ship didn't have ties to Israel," he said.

"In addition to that, the position of the United States, consistent with the position of the UN Security Council and consistent with the position of maritime nations across the world, is that attacks on commercial shipping in international waters are totally unacceptable and have to stop," Sullivan said.

"And what we are doing now is engaging in intensive consultations with partners and allies to determine the appropriate next steps," he said.

The United States is "in talks with other countries" about involving the ships from partner nations in ensuring safe passage in the Red Sea, he said.

The Houthis are "the ones with their finger on the trigger," Sullivan said. "But that gun -- the weapons here are being supplied by Iran. And Iran, we believe, is the ultimate party responsible for this."

"This is an issue for the entire world, for every country that relies upon maritime commerce to sustain their economy," Sullivan said.

"So, we will take the time to do the appropriate consultation, build a response that involves as much buy-in from as many countries as possible."

"We have made clear that the entire world needs to step up together -- not the United States alone, but all of us working together -- to deal with this — this emerging challenge that the — that the Houthis present, backed by Iran."