West warns Houthis as US looks to expand Red Sea force
Washington | The US and its allies on Wednesday warned Iran-backed Houthi militants against further attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, as the White House held out hope of further widening a naval task force set up this week to protect global trade in the region.
“[The Red Sea] is an important body of water, an international waterway for global commerce. And we have to, all of us, not just United States, take that responsibility seriously and keep that free flow of navigation,” John Kirby, White House national security spokesman, said.
US national security council co-ordinator John Kirby says vessels will operate as one unit as part of the task force. Bloomberg
A surge in its harassment of merchant shipping by the Houthi militant group, which controls vast amounts of territory in Yemen after years of war, has driven a rise in oil prices and forced a growing number of shipping lines and energy companies to consider alternative routes between Europe and Asia.
It has also focused the US on widening its patrols of the area via a task force, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, involving allies from the around the world. US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on Tuesday said European allies, along with Canada, Bahrain and the Seychelles would add vessels and personnel to the task force.
Australia, too has been approached for assistance but is speculated to have told US officials there are no available ships for the operation. Instead, it will send additional personnel to assist with a US-led Combined Maritime Force in Bahrain, although the government has yet to announce any decision.
Still, the US is holding out for further assistance from allies.
“We hope [the response] gets stronger and that we are able to add additional countries with additional capabilities,” Mr Kirby said. “We are grateful to the countries that have signed up to support this.”
“You shouldn’t think about this in terms of World War II aggregating fleets. I mean these vessels will be operating as one unit as part of the task force placed in the Red Sea as appropriate to the presence of commercial vessels and as appropriate to the threat coming out of Yemen.”
American warship USS Carney and a number of commercial ships came under attack on December 3 in the Red Sea. US Navy
His comment came as 44 countries, including those grouped in NATO, the European Union, the G7 and Australia condemned Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and adjacent seaways.
“The undersigned further encourage all states to refrain from facilitation or encouragement of the Houthis. There is no justification for these attacks, which affect many countries beyond the flags these ships sail under,” the signatories to the statement said.
The Red Sea is a conduit for 10 per cent to 15 per cent of all global trade, 8 per cent of global grain trade and 12 per cent of global seaborne oil trade. It is accessed by the Suez Canal to the north, leading to the Mediterranean, and Bab el-Mandeb, or the Gate of Tears, in the south.
Oil prices rose another 1.5 per cent on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) after jumping as much as 4 per cent the previous day.
Despite a renewed flurry of diplomatic activity to secure a second ceasefire and hostage deal in the Gaza war, the US continues to back the Israeli Defence Forces campaign in the enclave.
Mr Kirby rejected suggestions the US was becoming isolated in its position, saying relenting now would only “validate what Hamas did on the seventh of October” and “leave Hamas in power in Gaza”, which he said was “unacceptable to us”.
Australia last week shifted its position voting in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
“Every nation could speak for itself. But France and the United Kingdom are terrific close allies and friends. That’s not going to change,” Mr Kirby said.
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