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Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have increasingly become a threat to global commercial shipping and the region in which they operate as they continue to launch attacks in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have stepped up attacks on ships in or near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and declared support for Hamas, which is currently at war with Israel.
The group has somewhat intervened in the war by firing drones and missiles into Israel, leading to fears that the fighting could escalate into a regional conflict.
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The attacks have prompted shipping and oil companies to halt transit through the sea route where the Houthis have launched attacks on merchant vessels.
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Newly recruited fighters who have joined a Houthi force to be sent to the Gaza Strip to support Palestinians march during a parade in Sanaa, Yemen. (Portal)
WHO ARE THE HOUTHIS?
The Houthis captured Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014, starting a years-long, bloody war. The conflict soon developed into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia, which supported the Yemeni government-in-exile, and Iran, which supported the rebels.
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The war caused a major humanitarian crisis, leading to widespread hunger and misery in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country. The war has killed more than 150,000 people, including combatants and civilians, and caused one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.
A ceasefire that officially ended a year ago was largely adhered to. The Houthis currently control most of Yemen.
The group's history dates back to a religious renewal movement by the Zaydi sect of Shiite Islam in the late 1990s. The sect had once ruled Yemen for centuries but was marginalized under the Sunni regime that came to power after a 1962 civil war.
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As tensions with the government rose, there were a series of guerrilla wars with the national army and a brief border conflict with Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, according to Portal.
After a year of relative calm in Yemen, the Houthis have fired a series of missiles and drones. They attacked Israel on October 31, saying at the time that there would be more “to help the Palestinians win.”
The Houthis have sporadically attacked ships in the region over time, but attacks have increased since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, reaching a peak after an explosion at a Gaza hospital on October 17 killed many people and were injured. Houthi leaders insist Israel is their target.
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Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of training, arming and funding the Houthis, which Tehran denies.
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SHIP ATTACKS
The Houthis have sporadically attacked a number of ships in the Red Sea region. Since the war between Israel and Hamas began, attacks have increased regularly.
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After the weekend attacks, Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General said. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group wanted to “prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea (and the Gulf of Aden) until Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip ends.”
On Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, a new international mission to deter Houthi attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea.
“This is an international challenge that requires collective action,” Austin said. “Operation Prosperity Guardian brings together multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain, to jointly address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with the aim of: “To ensure freedom of navigation for all countries and strengthen regional security and prosperity.”
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On Sunday, the bulk carriers Unity Explorer, Number 9 and Sophie II were hit by a spate of attacks.
That day, the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, shot down three drones heading toward the ship and also came to the aid of the merchant ships. On Wednesday, the USS Mason shot down a drone that was flying in its direction.
In a statement, U.S. Central Command said: “We cannot assess at this time whether the Carney was a target” of the drones.
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In this photo published on November 20, 2023, a Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea. (Houthi Military Media/Handout via Portal)
ESCALATION?
The Biden administration has insisted on the need to avoid escalating the Israel-Hamas war into a broader regional conflict. So far, attacks on Iranian-backed groups in Iraq and Syria have not escalated the conflict, said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary.
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So it's not clear whether targeted attacks against Houthi arms depots or similar sites – which are also backed by Iran – would cross the line and trigger a larger war.
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“We will continue to consult with international allies and partners on an appropriate way to protect commercial shipping transiting through this region, while ensuring we do everything we need to do to protect our forces,” Ryder said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.