Israel's naval blockade played a role in preventing the Yemeni Houthis from actually sinking ships. While the Houthi attacks in Yemen were primarily aimed at deterrence, instead of using real anti-ship missiles, suicide drones were opted for to carry out the attack. Outside the Turkish port of Yalova, a damaged ship was photographed, but fortunately, it was only a thin-skinned tanker, for which such losses were not serious.
However, it is worth noting that if the Iranian imitation C-801 and C-802 anti-ship missiles really hit this cargo ship, it could lead to serious consequences, or even a direct sinking. While Israel and the United States were outraged, they failed to act more aggressively for fear of expanding the fighting. Surprisingly, India, a country that was not previously expected to be involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, suddenly changed its position.
According to India**, an oil tanker was attacked by a suicide drone during an attack off the coast of India. The attack was considered part of a strategy against Israel. Surprisingly, however, India has taken a positive approach, claiming that an investigation into the incident is underway. Indian Navy personnel boarded and searched two Iranian vessels on December 27, including an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps forward base ship and an Iranian merchant ship, according to The Hindustan newspaper. It is worth noting that despite the claims of the Indian side to have conducted an investigation, the Iranian side has not confirmed the relevant information, which raises some questions. If the attack did come from a vessel on the Iranian side, then the Indian Navy should have taken more drastic measures and at least issued the relevant boarding inspections** to justify its actions.
Overall, the incident is a sign that India is playing a more active role in geopolitics, and it is also a striking strategic shift for the international community.
At present, it has been confirmed that India has sent ** to carry out escort missions in the Red Sea. Following the bombing of the tanker, the Indian Navy announced on December 28 the mobilization of five destroyers, one large supply ship, one P-8 anti-submarine patrol aircraft, and one Sea Guardian drone with the goal of securing the route from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to the coast of India. In addition, the Indian Coast Guard is also involved, forming a huge escort force.
As of 27 December, Indian Shield ships have been deployed in and around the Red Sea. Emphasizing that its naval operations have nothing to do with the United States, India has made it clear that it will not participate in the US-led "Prosperity Guardian" escort operation, stressing that it is a self-organized escort mission by India. As a riparian country in the Indian Ocean, India is very sensitive to issues involving the Red Sea route, viewing it as a "lifeline". With the ship raid war looming on India's doorstep, India certainly cannot sit idly by. Especially given that the US-led "Prosperity Guard" primarily protects Israel, the explicit commitment to escorting Indian ships is not clear. Therefore, India's decision to act alone is understandable.
The Israeli-Palestinian war does not seem to have much to do with India, but when it comes to the blockade of the Red Sea, India has been quite high-profile. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh saw the attack on the Israeli ship as a threat to India, saying that "India's growing economic and strategic power has filled some forces with envy and hatred." In response to this threat, the Indian defense minister even more majestically declared that he would take stern military action, and even aggressively said: "No matter who launched this attack, India will even find them from the bottom of the sea and will take severe military action against them."
At the same time, India's relationship with Iran has become delicate. Yemen's Houthis are an important part of Iran's power, but India has shown hostility towards them. Although India has considerable investments in Iran, its policy is aimed at uniting Iran, on the one hand, against Pakistan, and on the other hand, expanding its influence in Central Asia through Iran. However, India's current hardline attitude, not only confronting the Houthis in Yemen, but also confronting Iran behind it, seems to have created a lot of trouble for itself in the Middle East strategy.
While India is taking a hard line, Yemen's Houthis are ready to take on the fight. This further complicates the situation, and India appears to be caught in a thorny situation of confronting Yemen's Houthis and dealing with a complex contest with Iran.
Perhaps India's actions are just a "sword dance" that is not really against Iran, but an attempt to replace the US escort in the Red Sea, as a way to achieve a major breakthrough for the Indian Navy and extend its influence to the Red Sea. In the past, the Indian Navy did not dare to intervene in the Red Sea lightly, but now it has found an excuse to involve itself in the affairs of the Red Sea and the Middle East, thus creating a pretext for intervention.
Iran currently mainly uses Houthi drones for strikes. Does this mean that India is in conflict with Iranian forces?From India's point of view, they may be trying to cut corners rather than confront them head-on. Since the founding of the country, India has always displayed an attitude of bullying the weak and fearing the hard, and trying to take advantage of the weak. While India doesn't need to make a big deal about it, the Indian Navy has gone on a rampage after a drone attack on an Israeli tanker. The dispatch of the five large destroyers shows that India has a clear intention to intervene in the Middle East and to coax the United States.
However, in reality, India may only be bluffing, and it does not really dare to take military action to escort the escort, and it does not achieve its substantive goals. Even Yemen's Houthi defense minister has long said: "There are no red lines [in the actions of the Houthis], and our strategic deterrence** and its range far exceed the enemy's expectations." "Even Iran is not afraid of the United States, let alone IndiaIran has even openly declared a blockade of the Strait of Gibraltar and strikes at Israeli targets in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, which even Israel itself admits. Iran and its allies have enough strength to close the Strait of Gibraltar and even attack Israel proper.
India may just want to make a presence on the international stage. However, now that the United States is a little timid in the face of confrontation with Yemen's Houthi forces, it may not be easy for India to take advantage. Iran seems to have an easier time dealing with India than the United States.
To strike at India, Iran does not need to exert much effort. India may want to use this opportunity to raise its international prestige, and that goal may be achieved. However, once it is realized, India may not escape the fate of returning empty-handed. Overall, they're probably just playing tricks and shouldn't be a cause for concern.