Rabat – The US has announced that it has formed a 10-nation coalition to counter Houthi missile and drone attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea, as part of a “multinational security initiative” against the Yemeni militant group.The coalition includes the US, the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, and Italy, among others.
According to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the security coalition operates with the aim of “freedom of navigation for all countries and bolstering regional security and prosperity.”
“Countries that seek to uphold the foundational principle of freedom of navigation must come together to tackle the challenge posed by this non-state actor,” Austin said in a statement.
The recent escalation of Houthi attacks on tankers, cargo ships and vessels in the Red Sea, has disrupted global trade, imperiling a transit route that serves up to 12 percent of global trade and 30 percent of container traffic.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels said earlier they had attacked two “Israeli-linked” vessels in the Red Sea on Monday, as they carried out a “military operation against two ships linked to the Zionist entity.”
The vessels were identified as the MSC Clara and Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic, and Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea has said the attacks came after crews failed to respond to calls from the group.
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However, Chemical Tankers, the owners of the Swan Atlantic, have denied any ties to Israel, saying that the ship was managed by a Singaporean firm.
The attacks have prompted shipping companies, including major players like Mediterranean Shipping Company, CMA CGM, Maersk, and BP to suspend or reroute transit through the Red Sea due to safety concerns.
In a statement on Tuesday, Maersk said “all vessels previously paused and due to sail through the region will now be rerouted around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope.”
As of Monday, the statement added, “Maersk had approximately 20 vessels that had paused transits, out of which half were waiting.”
Denmark’s AP Moller-Maersk accounts for over 15% of global shipping traffic.
“Even if America succeeds in mobilizing the entire world, our military operations will not stop… no matter the sacrifices it costs us,” senior Huthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said on X.
Rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said in defiance “US-formed coalition aims to protect Israel and militarize the sea,” adding that “whoever seeks to expand the conflict must bear the consequences of those actions.”
Insurance companies have significantly increased their costs for ships traveling through the Suez Canal and Red Sea, making it uneconomical for some companies to sail through the route.
