Fires escalate after a previous American strike targeted Sanaa in response to the Houthi bombing of ships in the Red Sea (Anatolia)

The Houthi group has carried out more than 60 attacks on Israeli ships or those heading to Israel since last November 19 in the Red Sea, the last of which was yesterday, Wednesday, and led to the death of 3 sailors and the injury of others, and a few days ago led to the sinking of the first ship, amid expectations of an American response after vowing to be held accountable.

The Houthi attacks undermined global navigation through the Red Sea, which is one of the busiest commercial waterways in the world, and which connects Asia with Europe and beyond via the Suez Canal in Egypt, in an attempt by them to support the Palestinians with the ongoing Israeli and American-backed aggression on the Gaza Strip and an attempt to pressure the entry of aid. And ending the siege.

The continued targeting of cargo ships through Bab al-Mandab, which resulted in deaths for the first time by targeting a Greek ship off Aden, prompted US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller to vow on Thursday to hold the Houthis accountable without clarifying how “this accountability” would take place.

Miller stressed that the process of deterring the Houthis from carrying out irresponsible strikes - as he described it - will be long-term and will result in weakening their military capabilities.

A photo published by the US Army of the ship that was targeted by Houthis, resulting in the killing of 3 sailors (French)

Classic response

Despite the American threat of accountability, Muhannad Al-Azzawi, a military analyst and specialist in strategic affairs, confirms that the recent escalations in the Red Sea will not lead to a response different from what the United States usually does, adding that it will remain within the framework of the traditional response by striking the Houthi missile launchers in Yemen.

Since the United States and the United Kingdom began last January to respond to the Houthis targeting ships in the Red Sea and undermining maritime navigation, their strikes have been focused on various Houthi sites in the governorates of Sanaa, Amran, Taiz, and Hodeidah. They say they target missiles prepared to be launched, but they sometimes resulted in the death of Civilians.

Al-Azzawi indicated that it is possible that Washington will carry out more military operations targeting the Houthis, shifting from defense to attack, but he pointed out that the American response will be costly for the army, considering that “the Houthi missile launchers do not live up to the cost of the American weapons that strike them.”

With the continuation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and Washington’s desire to exploit the Houthis’ targeting of ships in the Red Sea to divert attention from the aggression, it does not seem that Washington will resort to using its full force in the Red Sea as part of its policy of “containing Iran,” especially with the approaching US presidential elections, according to Al-Azzawi.

In possible scenarios, Al-Azzawi believes that the Houthis are headed for escalation in the Red Sea, but the international response has failed from the military aspects, as the presence of an American-British alliance, a European alliance, and the “Guardian of Prosperity” also shows the absence of international military coordination, which makes it likely that the campaign to deter the Houthis internationally will It won't be strong.

The "Prosperity Guardian" was established on December 18, at an initiative launched by the United States, with the aim of confronting Houthi attacks targeting commercial ships to and from Israel through the Red Sea, but it received only limited support.

Commander of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, Major General George Wyckoff, previously confirmed that the Houthis were not deterred by the US-led strike campaign that aims to destroy their capabilities as their influence on the global trade movement increases, which has repercussions on the global economy.

Control of Bab al-Mandab

Al-Azzawi also points out that as the escalation in the Red Sea continues, the Houthis are likely to turn into a regional force that will force international parties to deal with them, according to his description.

In this regard, academic and researcher in Arab affairs, Hamid Al-Shajni, says that the Western alliances are using the Houthi targeting of commercial ships passing through Bab al-Mandab as an excuse in an attempt to seize it.

He adds that the United States is trying to control Bab al-Mandab, with the aim of managing it economically in the future, and Al-Shajni justifies the Americans' bombing of Houthi targets in order to achieve this goal in the long term.

Al-Shajni believes that the escalation in the Red Sea will end if the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip stops, but he continues that this may not happen if Washington continues its attempts to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

It is likely that the West in general will justify its presence in Bab al-Mandab under the pretext of protecting global trade from rising prices, according to Al-Shajni.

The Houthis confirm that targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea will stop once the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip ends, while Washington insists on separating what is happening in the Red Sea from what is happening in Gaza.

Source: Al Jazeera