The US is “building a coalition” and will take “every step” to deterYemen’s Houthi rebels from carrying out attacks in the Red Sea, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in Tel Aviv on Friday, after the rebels struck two ships in the strategic waterway.
Mr Sullivan’s warning came a day after western diplomats told media that the US and its allies were studying options to respond to Houthi attacks on Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea, including strikes in their country.
The Iran-backed Houthis have attacked several ships, claiming they were linked to Israel, in support of Hamas. In some cases however, the ships had no clear connection to Israel and at least two were carrying cargo to Italy and a destination in northern Europe.
“The Houthis represent a material threat to freedom of navigation to commercial shipping to lawful commerce, and they’re doing so in a vital artery,” Mr Sullivan told reporters after meetings with Israeli officials.
“We are building a coalition. We are working to ensure that we rally the nations of the world, all of whom have an interest in seeing this stop.
“This is not about the United States and Israel. This is about the entire international community. And we will continue to take every step that we deem necessary and appropriate to deal with the threat that the Houthis pose.”
A diplomat involved in Yemen’s peace talks told media earlier that “western security agencies and diplomatic missions … are studying together with other intelligence agencies how to respond to this increasing threat in the Red Sea, including possibly conducting targeted air strikes”.
On Thursday, Pentagon press secretary Brig Gen Pat Ryder said the US and partners were working to bolster a maritime task force to address the Houthi threat, despite Tehran warning that any proposed multinational task force would be “challenged”.
Meanwhile, the International Chamber of Shipping told media that more warships are needed in the Red Sea where the US Navy leads multinational task forces, to prevent the escalating Houthi attacks on merchant vessels.
The body that represents nearly all merchant shipping warned that the rebels have become increasingly indiscriminate in launching missiles and drones at ships, with the latest attacks on vessels on Friday.
A US defence official said that attacks from Yemen struck two Liberian-flagged ships in Bab Al Mandeb.
A projectile, believed to be a drone, struck one of the vessels, the German-owned Al Jasrah, causing a fire but no injuries, the official said. Two ballistic missiles were fired in the second attack, one of which struck a vessel, causing a fire that the crew was working to extinguish.
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