In recent times, the Houthis have been carrying out numerous attacks on ships crossing the Red Sea. The Houthis control sea lanes from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, particularly the Menhu Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the southern Red Sea, which is only 20 kilometers wide at its narrowest point but is an important sea lane linking the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea.
As a result, the Houthis' grip can be said to be very strong. Even under the surveillance of the US ** team, the Houthis still dare to attack many merchant ships, and even show weakness to the United States.
According to reports, the Houthis launched another attack on the 14th, targeting a container ship named "Maersk Gibraltar", which was heading for Israel, flying the flag of Hong Kong, China.
The Houthis claimed that they sent a missile to hit the ship, but the US side denied this claim, saying that the missile fired by the Houthis did not hit the ship, but fell in the sea near the ship. As a result, the freighter was not damaged and no personnel were injured.
In the face of the Houthi attack, the U.S.-led multinational naval task force will be formed to carry out escort missions in the waters near Yemen, including French and Israeli ** will gather in the Red Sea.
The U.S. side said it would not allow the Houthis to threaten Israeli merchant ships, but the Houthis have always been a hostile force in the United States, and they control the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which is one of the most important sea lines of communication in the world. Compared to circumnavigating the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait can shorten the voyage and save time, more than 170,000 merchant ships passed through the area.
This sea line of communication is also an important route for oil transportation, with more than 6.2 million barrels** of petroleum products transported through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait every day. According to the latest news, the U.S. command said that their destroyer USS Carney shot down 14 Houthi drones in the Red Sea, and the attack did not cause any damage to the merchant ship.
The Houthis claimed that they fired ** missiles at two ships heading for Israel. As Houthi attacks intensified, merchant ships heading to Israel had to take a detour to avoid entering the Red Sea region.
The Houthis' statement that they will block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shows their unwavering support for the Hamas militants, and on a deeper level, it also shows the weakening of US control in the Middle East and the struggle between Iran and the US for control of the region. The Houthis, who are at the forefront of their attacks, on Israeli merchant ships, will put significant psychological pressure on Israel.
In order to ensure the safety of merchant ships, the United States plans to form a multinational alliance to escort the waters of the Red Sea, which will trigger a fierce Red Sea attack ship war. The fact that the United States claims to protect important shipping routes around the world but is unable to mobilize enough destroyers to escort them and can only resort to multinational alliances is an indication of the decline of American control power in the world and highlights the decline of its military power.
In the face of Houthi attacks, the United States and Israel** will face serious challenges, especially to prevent the Houthis from using ballistic missiles to attack merchant ships. At the same time, Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip will not stop, and the Hamas forces will pay a heavy price for it.
Despite Israel's success in flooding Hamas's underground tunnels with seawater, ground warfare remains a daunting task, especially in the face of battle-proven Hamas forces, where Israeli armored forces could be subjected to major attacks. In a ground war, the experience and strength of the Hamas forces could overwhelm Israel's improvised ground army.