Recently, the Houthis have carried out a number of attacks on ships bound for Israel in the Red Sea, which prompted the United States to come up with plans to create a multinational naval alliance in the region. Despite this initiative, Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani strongly criticized the proposal, calling it "irrational" and warning of the possibility of major problems.
In response to the Houthi attacks and proposals, the Yemeni armed forces issued an official statement condemning the oppression of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The statement highlighted the recent successful military operation that inflicted a blow on the Norwegian tanker "Astlinda", which was loaded with oil destined for Israel. Yemeni forces targeted the ship with naval missiles, stressing that they would prevent all ships, regardless of nationality, from reaching Israeli ports in the Arabian and Red Seas. The Yemeni armed forces stressed their position until the basics, especially food and medicine, reached the people of the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis also played a role in disrupting Red Sea shipping. They confirmed that a cargo ship that had initially sailed to an Israeli port had been intercepted and redirected. The ship has been instructed to change course to a port off the coast of Yemen, affecting the vital sea lanes between Israel and Asia**.
As tensions escalate and geopolitical maneuvers unfold, the fate of the multinational naval alliance becomes uncertain, and the strategic importance of the Red Sea in the broader context of regional conflicts becomes increasingly apparent.