US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin announced on Monday that his country is leading multinational operation to protect trade in the Red Seaas attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis force shipping companies to change their routes.

Meanwhile, Houthi rebels claim that They will continue to advance against ships heading to Israel through the waters of the Red Sea, despite the announcement of a coalition to guarantee the safety of this key international trade route.

Austin, who is traveling to Bahrain, where the US Navy is headquartered in the Middle East, said: UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Seychelles and Spain. – some of the countries involved in the Red Sea security operation.

The group will carry out joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

“This is an international issue that requires collective action,” Austin said in a statement, announcing the initiative as “Operation Guardian of Prosperity”.

At a virtual meeting with ministers from more than 40 countries, Austin called on other countries to do their part as condemned the “reckless actions of the Houthis.”

However, the announcement leaves many questions unanswered, including how many countries are willing to do what most US warships have done in recent days: shoot down missiles and drones Houthis and come to the aid of attacked merchant ships.

Despite the coalition’s statement, shipping companies They kept changing their routes on Tuesday. Danish Maersk, for example, said it would sail its ships through Africa until further notice.

“We believe that in the near future a solution will be presented that will allow the Suez Canal to be used again and transit through the Red Sea and Gulf of Adenbut at the moment it remains difficult to determine exactly when this will happen,” he said in a statement.

Industry sources said the impact on global trade would depend on how long the crisis lasts, but insurance premiums and route expansions would be an immediate burden.

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Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis have intensified their activities. missile attacks and drone strikes It began last month against international ships passing through the Red Sea. At the end of November they captured the cargo ship Galaxy Leader, on which two mexicans travelingwhich was confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE).

War between Israel and Hamasput the US and its allies on the side of Israel, and Iran and its Arab allies on the side of Hamas, at risk wider regional conflict.

“Even if the United States succeeds in mobilizing the entire world, our military operations will not stop unless crimes of genocide in Gaza and that food, medicine and food be allowed to reach the fenced-in population, regardless of the sacrifices we have to make,” said Mohamed al Bukaiti, a member of the rebels’ political wing.

He emphasized this in a message published on his official social network account. “are moralityand stressed that the Houthis “will not abdicate their responsibility for defend the oppressed of the earth“.

A few hours earlier, Al Bukaiti himself “advised” countries don’t join this coalition for being “dishonest” and “disgraceful.” “The United States should seek to end the crimes of genocide in the Gaza Strip, not create an international coalition to protect your authors“, said.

For his part, the Houthi representative Mohamed Abdusalamnoted that the group will protect “the security of shipping lanes in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, ensuring that there will be no threats ships of any country, except those associated with an enemy entity (in relation to Israel) or that they go to their ports.”

Early this Monday UK maritime trade operations (UKMTO) reported a new “incident” in the strait area Bab el Mandebconnecting the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean.

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The organization is listed in a short message on its account in X that the event occurred 80 nautical miles (about 148 kilometers) northeast of Djibouti when “four boats “Having four or five men each, they approached the ship.”

“The boats were blue or gray, depending on the description. The one who came closest walked half a mile (about 920 meters) before leaving. The captain says that no orders were heard and no weapons were visible,” he clarified. “Vessels are advised travel with caution and inform UKMTO of any suspicious activity,” he concluded.

The Houthis, with the support of Iran, began several attacks on Israel since the start of the war and said they would prevent transit through the Red Sea until the people of Gaza received “all the help they need.”

(according to information from Reuters And Europe Press)