Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/Portal
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to the media as he leaves for Tel Aviv in Manama, Bahrain, on January 10, during his week-long trip to calm tensions in the Middle East.
CNN –
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Wednesday that ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea “will have consequences.”
“I’m not going to communicate or predict that this could happen,” Blinken said in a press briefing in Bahrain. “We have made it clear, we have made it clear to more than 20 other countries that there will be consequences if things continue like they did yesterday.”
Blinken's warning comes as the Iran-backed militant group based in Yemen shows no signs of de-escalation and the risk of a regional flare-up looms large.
The U.S. Navy shot down 21 Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen in one of the largest Houthi attacks in the Red Sea in recent months, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM said no ships were damaged in the attacks and there were no injuries as a result of the massive drone and missile launch.
The Houthis have recently carried out numerous attacks and hijacked a merchant ship and its crew in what they say is retaliation for Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. The attacks have already had consequences for the global economy, effectively closing one of the world's most important trade routes to most container ships.
There have been several signs in recent weeks that the U.S. is considering taking more forceful military action in response to the Houthi attacks, even as it seeks to engage with Iran and the Houthis and pressure them to de-escalate.
A senior US official told CNN that they continue to speak to all parties to emphasize the seriousness of the situation. They also emphasize that the Houthis' actions do not help the Palestinian people or the Yemeni people; Instead, they threaten to turn Yemen into a “pariah state.”
Blinken said Wednesday that, given efforts to prevent the spread of a regional conflict, “it is particularly important that we respond when we see something like aggression by the Houthis.”
“This poses a clear threat to the interests of countries around the world. And it is important that the international community comes together and responds,” he said.
On Wednesday, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps warned: “We will take the necessary measures to protect innocent lives and the global economy.”
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. would “continue to coordinate closely with our allies and partners on the appropriate next steps.”
“I will in no way speculate about possible future military operations, regardless of direction,” he added.
The US is “considering all options” to reach as much international consensus as possible on the need to stop the Houthis, a Western official told CNN.
Last week, the United States and 12 other countries released a joint statement condemning the attacks on shipping. A senior US government official said the statement was likely the coalition's final warning.
The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday passed a resolution led by the United States and Japan “strongly condemning the at least two dozen Houthi attacks on commercial and commercial vessels since November 19, 2023” and calling for “that the Houthis will immediately cease all such attacks.” Attacks.” 11 countries voted in favor of the resolution. Four abstained, including China and Russia. A Western diplomat told CNN that the US had acceded to some of China's demands regarding the wording of the resolution.
The text of the resolution, a copy of which was obtained by CNN, does not mention Iran for its support of the Houthis. However, in a statement welcoming the resolution's passage, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield condemned Tehran.
“While this resolution denounces the clear violations of international law, we must not overlook the root of the problem. “Iran has long encouraged the Houthis’ destabilizing actions in the region through financial and material support in violation of the UN arms embargo,” she said. “We know that Iran was instrumental in planning operations against merchant ships in the Red Sea.”
“The United States does not seek confrontation with Iran. However, “Iran also has a choice: continue to provide support to the Houthis or withhold it, without which the Houthis would find it difficult to effectively detect and attack ships navigating the shipping routes through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” she said.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN's Oren Lieberman and Kevin Liptak contributed reporting.