U.S.-Led International Force Established to Protect Ships in Red Sea

The US and a number of nations are creating a new naval force to guard ships transiting the Red Sea, which has seen a spate of Houthi drone and missile attacks, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced early Tuesday in Bahrain.

"This is an international challenge that demands collective action," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement released just after midnight in Bahrain. "Therefore, today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative."

Over the past few days, multiple shipping companies ordered their ships to stop sailing in the Red Sea and avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until further notice.

According to Austin, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain will join the US in the new mission. Some countries will conduct joint patrols while others provide intelligence support in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea.

Other countries have agreed to join the mission. However, they preferred not to be publicly named, according to the US official.

The Combined Task Force 153, which was set up in April 2022 to improve maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden, will coordinate the operation of the new mission.

The Combined Task Force 153 includes 39 member nations, and officials have been working to determine which of them would join the new mission, which aims to counter the Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

However, the Houthi group has prepared for a potential war with international forces. Informed sources told Sheba Intelligence that the group is training its special forces in a camp 15 km from Al-Hudaydah port to carry out attacks in the Red Sea under the supervision of Iranian experts.

Moreover, the sources said that the group deployed defense equipment in the capital, Sana'a, especially in the Al-Hafa camp and other camps surrounding the capital, Sanaa, which the group expects to be hit by the international coalition.

On Monday, Houthi spokesperson Yahia Sarea said they attacked two ships in the Red, saying the two vessels have links to Israel. He identified the vessels as the MSC Clara and Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic. Sarea added that all ships will not be hurt except those linked to Israel. 

Houthis say their attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea will continue until Israel ends its bombardment and siege on Gaza.