On December 31 of this year, in the Red Sea, the first war between the United States and the Houthis broke out, the first time that the United States and Housei fought since the intensification of the Palestinian-Israeli war. The accident began when a Maersk cargo ship continued to cross the Red Sea despite warnings from the Houthis, and was subsequently fired by the Houthis with a rocket. The United States sent a helicopter to intercept the missiles and engaged in a fierce battle with Houthi vessels, destroying three ships and killing 10 Houthi members. The United States and Britain have threatened to launch air strikes against the Houthis in order to force the Houthis to end their actions to disrupt the Red Sea shipping lanes.
The Houthis claim that they are doing so to oppose Israel's brutal actions in Gaza and will ban all Israeli-related ships passing through the Red Sea, but will not interfere with other ships. They also cautioned that the United States was responsible for the deaths of these people, otherwise it would be hit harder. The Houthi declaration has kept the United States cautious, with a White House Security Council spokeswoman Kirby saying the United States does not want war with the Houthis and will not attack the Houthis again if they stop attacking the Red Sea shipping lanes. The United States is so cautious mainly because of three points.
The first reason is Israel's wanton killing in Gaza, where more than 21,000 people have been killed, sparking worldwide discontent. The United States, Israel's biggest backer, is also criticized in the world, and its other allies, with the exception of the United Kingdom, have shown a negative view of American escort behavior. Americans' support for Biden has also declined. The Houthis, with the tacit consent of Middle Eastern countries, launched the attack, which did not receive widespread attention from the international community.
Second, the United States has waged many large-scale wars in the Middle East and even in the world, and this chaotic situation has caused great damage to the strength of the United States, and at the same time, it has also greatly damaged the fighting spirit of the armed forces. The withdrawal from Kabul in August 2021 shows the physical and mental pain that the U.S. team has endured in this ongoing war. At present, whether it is Russia, Ukraine or Palestine and Israel, the United States has adopted a restrained attitude and does not participate in the war. The Houthi challenge is something that the United States does not want to see, and it will plunge the United States into a new war of attrition. Even if the United States defeats the Houtha*** forces, it will not be possible to control the shipping of the Red Sea. After joint operations with several Saudi-led countries, the Houthis have shown a strong ability to resist strikes, and they will not give in to some minor fights from the United States.
Third, the United States regards containing China by force as its primary strategic objective and does not want to get involved in disputes in the Middle East. China's growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region is also a major factor in the United States' constraints on the Middle East. The United States also wants China to join in military exercises to stop the Houthis as a gesture of goodwill to China. However, China's Ministry of National Defense said that the security of the Red Sea Straits is related to the interests of all countries in the world and must be resolved through dialogue and consultation, not through violence. China also urges the United States to play an active role in resolving Palestinian-Israeli contradictions while avoiding an escalation of the war, while safeguarding the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people and respecting the fundamental interests of both sides. If the United States continues to intervene militarily, it will face even greater resistance.