The Houthis are not only causing great distress to Israel, but also pose a threat to the United States. Recently, the anonymous US side revealed that the United States is considering striking the radar facilities of the Houthis to prevent them from attacking Red Sea cargo ships. In order to strengthen its defense forces, the United States** has invited more than 20 countries to join the escort alliance codenamed "Prosperity Guardian". However, relying on air attacks alone is far from enough. The Houthis can use missiles and drones to attack merchant ships from time to time, giving the impression of insecurity in Red Sea shipping, thus affecting Israel's economy. Despite the military superiority of the United States, eliminating the threat would require a large-scale ground war, which is a challenging task. Therefore, although the United States has made great efforts to form an escort alliance with its allies, the effect is difficult to predict.
The U.S. coalition of escorts and its allies is capable of shooting missiles from the sky, but its ability to operate on land is relatively limited. The Houthis operate on Yemeni land, and if they want to threaten, they need to engage in a large-scale ground war, which is undoubtedly a huge challenge for the United States. Although the United States has formed a convoy alliance, the market is not optimistic about this action. For example, vessel traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait near the Red Sea has fallen by 14%, while vessel insurance costs have also dropped significantly**. This indicates a lack of confidence in the U.S. escort capability. At present, it seems that although the US escort alliance is taking shape, it still faces enormous challenges in restoring the stability of Israel's sea transportation lines.
Faced with the dual threat of the Houthis to Israel, Biden ** seeks to expand the escort alliance on the one hand, and China for help on the other. U.S. spokesman Miller hopes that China will play a constructive role in preventing the Houthis from attacking ships in the Red Sea. China has responded wisely to this. They first stressed the importance of maintaining the security of international waterways and opposing attacks on civilian vessels, and then mentioned the need for all parties to play a constructive and responsible role. This response not only does not deny the legitimacy of maintaining maritime shipping, but also gives the United States a certain amount of encouragement, and at the same time reminds the United States of its own responsibility. China does not want to get involved in the dispute between China and the United States, and hopes that the United States can solve the problem on its own.
The Houthis have maintained their commitment to Palestinian assistance, attacking Israel's borders not only on land, but also on Israel's sea transport lines. This puts tremendous pressure on Israel. Biden ** wants to restore stability to Israel's sea transport lines with an escort alliance, but this will not be easy to achieve. The outcome of the Red Sea war is far from certain. If the Houthis continue to insist on launching attacks against Israel, Israel will face even more pressure. In this context, the United States has sent a signal for help to China while seeking to expand the escort alliance. However, China wisely chose not to intervene in the situation and let the United States solve the problem on its own. After all, it is not advisable for the United States to want to shift the blame to China now.
The threat of the Houthis and the response of the 20-nation coalition of the United States and Britain illustrate the complex situation in the Middle East and the strife of international politics. The United States has a military advantage in the face of the threat of the Houthis, but it will not be easy to solve the problem. The formation of the convoy coalition is a superficial response, but its effectiveness has not yet been verified. In addition, the United States sought help from China, but China wisely chose not to intervene in the situation. This series of events reflects the complex mentality and stance of the international community in the face of regional conflicts. In any case, resolving the Red Sea war will require a concerted effort by all parties, rather than relying on a single state or convoy alliance. Cooperation and consultation are the key to resolving disputes, not military means. It is only through dialogue and cooperation on an equal footing that peace and security in the Middle East can be truly guaranteed.