The Red Sea, an important body of water connecting the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, has recently become the focus of global attention. The reason is that the Yemeni Houthis launched a series of attacks on merchant ships here, which led to the suspension of the Red Sea route by a number of shipping giants, which had a huge impact on the international **.
In order to safeguard its own interests and influence, the United States announced the formation of an escort alliance with the participation of nine countries in an attempt to restore security and order in the Red Sea. However, the Houthis are not afraid of the US threat, and instead say they can stand up to any invader.
At the same time, not to be outdone, Russia announced the provision of access to the Northern Sea Route, a polar route through Russian territorial waters, to ships that have changed course due to attacks in the Red Sea, which is considered a new trend in future shipping. In this way, the dispute over the Red Sea is not just a regional issue, but involves the game and interests of the world's major powers. So why are the Houthis blocking the Red Sea?Will the American escort alliance work?
Yemen's Houthi rebels, an armed group of Shiite Muslims, have been engaged in a civil war with countries such as Yemen** and their allies, Saudi Arabia, since 2014. The Houthis control Yemen's capital, Sana'a, and much of the northwest, including the port city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea coast.
The main supporters of the Houthis are Iran, and Iran and Saudi Arabia are the two main hostile forces in the Middle East, vying each other for regional hegemony and influence. Therefore, the actions of the Houthis are also seen as Iran's ** war in the Middle East.
The Houthi raids in the Red Sea are not recent, as back in 2016, they fired ** missiles at a US Navy missile destroyer, and although they did not hit, they caused a strong reaction from the United States. Since then, the Houthis have repeatedly used drones, missiles and mines to attack merchant ships and oil tankers in the Red Sea, causing loss of life and property.
What is the purpose of the Houthis?They themselves claim that this is for self-defense, as they have been subjected to air strikes and blockades by countries such as Saudi Arabia, which have led to a humanitarian crisis and economic hardship. They believe that only through control of the Red Sea can they protect their interests and security, and at the same time they can put pressure on the international community to stop interfering and attacking them.
However, from another perspective, the actions of the Houthis can also be interpreted as a provocation and threat, because they not only undermine the security of shipping in the Red Sea, but also affect the interests of neighboring countries, especially Israel, which passes through the Red Sea for 90% of its imports and exports.
Moreover, the Houthis may also be enforcing Iran's will to contain and retaliate against countries such as the United States and Saudi Arabia by creating a crisis in the Red Sea, which are enemies of Iran and opponents of the Iran nuclear deal.
In the face of the Houthi challenge, the United States, as the most powerful country in the world, certainly cannot sit idly by, especially in the Red Sea, a water area that is vital to global ** and energy security. As a result, the United States announced that it would form a convoy alliance of nine countries, including the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and Norway, called the Red Sea Security Initiative (RSSI), with the aim of providing security guarantees in the Red Sea to protect merchant ships and oil tankers from attacks, while also upholding the principles of international law and freedom of navigation.
The U.S. said the alliance was open and welcomed by any country willing to join, including Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, but excluding Iran and Yemen. The United States also said that this alliance is not aimed at any specific country or organization, but to maintain peace and stability in the Red Sea.
The US escort alliance seems to be a just and reasonable action, but in fact, there are also many controversies and hidden dangers. The US escort alliance has not been authorized or supported by the United Nations or other international organizations, but the United States has organized some allies and friendly countries on its own initiative, which may arouse dissatisfaction and opposition from other countries, believing that the United States is pursuing hegemonism and unilateralism, interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, and undermining the international order.
The dispute over the Red Sea is a typical geopolitical and economic issue, which not only reflects the internal contradictions and conflicts in the Middle East, but also involves the interests and competition of the world's major powers. The blockade by the Houthis is a challenge and a threat that undermines the security of shipping in the Red Sea and internationally, and also affects the interests and security of neighboring countries, especially Israel.
The U.S. escort alliance is a kind of stability maintenance and expansion, it seeks to restore order and freedom in the Red Sea, and also tries to protect its own interests and influence, but it may also provoke opposition and conflict from other countries, especially Iran and the Houthis. The U.S. Secretary of Defense announced that he would unite with many countries to protect the Red Sea