Arrr! Them Houthis be swearin' to continue their plunderin' in the Red Sea, avast! Even with the task force!
2023-12-19
Arrr, ye scurvy dogs! Them Iran-backed Houthi rapscallions be claimin' they won't cease their pillagin' of merchant ships in the Red Sea, blast 'em! Even with this newfangled U.S.-led task force, they be plannin' to continue their mischief, arrr!
Houthi militants in Yemen have declared that they will not cease their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, despite the formation of a U.S.-led task force aimed at protecting commercial shipping in the region. Mohammed Albukhaiti, a member of the Houthi ruling council, stated that their war is a moral one and that no matter how many alliances the U.S. forms, their military operations will continue. The attacks, which have been ongoing for weeks, involve the use of drones and ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The militants claim that the attacks are in response to Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The severity of these attacks, some of which have caused damage to vessels, has led several shipping companies to order their ships to remain in place and avoid entering the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the security situation is addressed. Other companies have rerouted their vessels, resulting in additional costs and delays. In response to these attacks, the U.S. and other nations have announced the creation of a new task force to protect ships in the Red Sea. This multinational security initiative, called Operation Prosperity Guardian, aims to provide umbrella protection for as many commercial vessels as possible in the area.
However, the Houthi militants have criticized this coalition, with Albukhaiti describing it as a disgrace and accusing participating countries of protecting perpetrators of genocidal crimes. He argued that if the U.S. had taken the right action, it could have compelled Israel to stop its actions without the need for an expanded conflict. Mohammed Abdel-Salam, the chief negotiator and spokesman for the Houthis, also challenged the coalition, stating that the rebels would continue targeting Israel-linked vessels.
Despite these developments, the Houthis remain defiant, emphasizing that their attacks are not a display of force or a challenge, but rather a defense of their legitimate operations in support of Gaza. They reject the justification for the U.S.-formed coalition, viewing it as a means to protect Israel and militarize the sea without reason.