The operation includes joint patrols in the Red Sea near Yemeni territory, from where Houthi rebels have attacked ships.
In total, more than twenty countries have decided to participate in the US-led coalition to secure the operation of commercial shipping from attacks by the Yemeni Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The US Department of Defense informs about it.
The news agency Reuters reports that at least eight of the countries in question want to remain secret from the public, as the operation is linked to the war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas.
– We now have more than 20 countries that have announced their participation, said the Pentagon’s press secretary Patrick Ryder.
According to Ryder, at least Greece and Australia have signed up for the coalition.
The US launched Operation Prosperity Guardian about two days ago. At that time, it was said that twenty countries had joined the operation. The operation includes joint patrols of the countries in the Red Sea near the territory of Yemen.
According to Ryder, each participating country is doing what it can.
– In some cases, the participation includes ships. In other cases, participation may mean personnel or other types of support, he explained at the press conference.
The Huthi rebels’ attacks have already affected the ships’ routes
The crisis in the Red Sea has developed from the war between Israel and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7. The Iran-backed Hezbollah organization in Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthi rebels have launched missile strikes on Israeli targets since the start of the war. In addition, the Houthis have carried out attacks on merchant ships trading in Israeli ports in the Red Sea.
The attacks have disrupted trade routes connecting Europe and North America to Asia via the Suez Canal. Container ships have switched to a circuitous route that increases fuel costs, passing through Hyväntoivonniemi around Africa instead of the Suez Canal.
The Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, is one of the world’s busiest maritime traffic lanes. 12 percent of international shipping passes through it.
The US, French and British navies have shot down aircraft and missiles launched by the Houthi rebels. In the United States, the measures have been criticized for being ineffective, as the attacks on the rebel merchant ships have not been stopped.
Source: Reuters