Recently, the US Department of Defense disclosed an incident: a Japanese oil tanker sailing from Saudi Arabia to India was attacked by Iranian drones in the Arabian Sea off the west coast of India. The attack resulted in containers** on tankers, but fortunately, no people** were killed. This is the first time since the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on 7 October that a ship has been attacked in an area far from the Red Sea.
Pentagon statement on Iranian drone strikes].
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense, the attacked tanker, flying the Liberian flag, was actually the property of a Japanese company and was operated by a Dutch company. The tanker has strong ties to Israel's shipping giant, Itami Overh. On the way to India, when the ship was sailing to the Arabian Sea, about 200 kilometers from the Indian mainland, a drone from Iran mainland hit the hull directly after flying 830 kilometers. As a result of the attack, the tanker's container**, the hull suffered varying degrees of damage.
Attacks outside the Red Sea].
Unlike previous attacks, this one took place in a region far from the Red Sea. Most of the previous attacks have taken place near the Red Sea, often by Yemen's Houthi rebels.
The Houthis intensify their attacks in the Red Sea].
Since the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on October 7, the Houthis have intensified their attacks on the Red Sea. At first, they were mainly aimed at Israeli military targets. For example, on October 19, the United States announced that it had shot down 19 drones and several anti-ship missiles off the coast of Yemen. As Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip escalated, the Houthis began to expand their attacks to ships linked to Israel.
On November 19, the Houthis hijacked a cargo ship called "Galactic Leader" and took it to the port of Hodeidah in Yemen. The reason is that the ship is believed to be associated with Israel. By December 3, the Houthis had launched four attacks on three merchant ships sailing in international waters south of the Red Sea with links to 14 countries, including Israel.
The Houthi hijacking of the "Galactic Leader" cargo ship].
The Houthis have not only attacked ships linked to Israeli companies or citizens, but have also expanded their targeting to all vessels suspected of being linked to Israel. Any vessel that they investigate or that is suspected of being linked to Israel could be attacked.
The United States plans to form a multinational joint fleet].
In order to combat the behavior of the Houthis, the United States announced plans to form a "multinational joint fleet" with countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, France and other countries. The purpose of this fleet is to strengthen escort forces and deliver direct strikes against the Houthis. However, despite the harsh statements of the United States, the Houthis and Iran behind them do not seem to care about these threats. The Houthis remain active, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards are beginning to step in.
The intervention of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps].
Iran's range is clearly wider than that of the Houthis. Iran launches drones directly from its homeland and then hits targets in the Arabian seas, which are 830 kilometers away. As the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues, Iran has openly stated that unless Israel stops its war with Hamas, the United States and its allies will see new resistance emerge, as well as blockades of other waterways. Naqdi, the coordinating commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that Western countries were previously trapped in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and now in the Red Sea, and may be trapped in the Mediterranean Sea in the future.
U.S. Strategic Choice].
For the United States, the question of whether to go to war directly with Iran has become a thorny one. The United States, in the face of the Houthis and Iran, seems to prefer to avoid direct military conflict. A U.S.** said in an interview that if the Houthis are reacted after the attack on the ships, it could lead to another military conflict between the Gulf states and the Houthis, with adverse consequences for the situation in the Middle East.
impact on the situation in the Middle East].
Therefore, in order to avoid further escalation of the situation, the United States may maintain its existing escort force and will not choose to become deeply involved in the Houthi issue. Although a plan to "form a combined fleet" was proposed, it could end up being only a symbolic action. For the United States, which is fighting on multiple fronts, they are more inclined to persuade Israel than to go to war directly with Iran. The Iranian side also wants to keep the attack "manageable" and put pressure on the United States, rather than getting directly involved in the conflict.
In summary, the challenge for the United States is how to balance its strategy against the Houthis and Iran while avoiding further deterioration of the situation in the Middle East. At this sensitive juncture, any U.S. military action could trigger a broader regional conflict, so the U.S. may adopt a more prudent strategy to maintain stability in the Middle East. At the same time, the actions of Iran and the Houthis have demonstrated their influence and capabilities in the region, which will have far-reaching implications for the future of the Middle East.