A host of nations are joining forces with the United States as part of a new security initiative to ensure safe naval passage through a critical trading route located in the Red Sea.
Over the last few weeks, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on commercial ships passing through the vital shipping corridor that separates Yemen from East Africa, leading to the Red Sea and Suez Canal in the north.
To counter the threat posed by the rebels, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced in a Dec. 18 press statement a new multinational security initiative dubbed “Operation Prosperity Guardian.” The primary goal is to bring security, stability, and freedom of navigation to the vital sea passage for all countries. According to Mr. Austin, protecting commercial vessels passing through the area is an “international challenge that demands collective action” immediately….
