With the grim situation in the Middle East, the effects of the war have begun to spill over, and fierce naval battles have suddenly broken out in the Red Sea region.
A few days ago, a Danish-operated, Singaporean-flagged container ship was attacked by four Houthi boats after entering the Red Sea. After two calls for help in a row, the U.S. Navy quickly dispatched *** to launch missiles, destroying three Houthi speedboats, resulting in 10 deaths and only one escape. A spokesman for the Houthis confirmed that the attack was carried out by the United States and named the US military to pay the price.
This is the first time that the Houthis and the U.S. military have had a head-to-head confrontation since the current round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict for 3 months, you must know that the U.S. military took off from the aircraft carrier strike group, and the Houthis were unjustly defeated this time, after all, the strength of the two sides is not at the same level at all.
It is worth noting that both the Houthis and Iran have adopted the "speedboat wolf pack tactic" in the Middle East waters, that is, a large number of speedboats and unmanned ships are dispatched to bomb the local **, and the important shipping lanes are controlled by "ants bite elephants".
Although there are only 4 speedboats this time, the purpose of grabbing the merchant ship is very obvious, the outside world believes that although this small-scale surface unit is inconspicuous, but the impact on international shipping cannot be ignored, after all, no country can do 24 hours to escort merchant ships, and offend the Houthis such a "poor and white" and grudge-holding forces, the West's "good days" are still to come.
The name of the US aircraft carrier strike group is certainly terrifying, but the Red Sea is very narrow, with only more than 300 kilometers at its widest point, and in the face of the complexity and limitations of asymmetric warfare, even a "strategic killing weapon" such as an aircraft carrier can only focus on defense.
After all, the Houthis are not only speedboats, they are really red-eyed, and ballistic missiles and anti-ship missiles can also be thrown, and then the US military will be in trouble.
The United States is now in a very awkward position, and although it has issued statements with Britain and other countries considering attacking the Houthis, it does not dare to actually do so. Even if the reputation of the United States is damaged, it can only endure it.
First, let's be clear: the United States needs to maintain its influence in the Middle East and support the security of its allies, both of which are indispensable.
As a sea power, global shipping routes are also an important cornerstone of US hegemony, not to mention major regions such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which are related to global shipping arteries and energy lifelines? Once the United States attacks here, then the fragile balance in the Middle East will be upset, and it will even affect the entire world economy, and eventually the United States itself.
Therefore, although the United States has the ability to defeat the Houthis, it can only passively carry out warning and demonstrative attacks, and does not dare to really attack on a large scale.
Second, in addition to its interests, the United States also knows that attacking the Houthis will invite another thorny enemy--- Iran.
As the most powerful country in the Middle East, Iran's Houthis are one of its important allies, and the easy blockade of the Red Sea is enough to prove the strategic value of the Houthis to Iran. If the United States attacks this ally, then all the powers in Iran's sphere will be the enemy of the United States, because the Middle East is already very fragile because of Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip, and the United States is trying to avoid getting itself into a deep war.
Reckless action will not only destroy the fragile balance between the United States and Iran, but will also put Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and other countries on the opposite side of the United States, which will even threaten the hegemony of the United States petrodollar.
Finally, if the United States starts a war in the Middle East against the Houthis, it is good to win the war as in the past, but what if the United States loses? Does the fact that the superpower, which dominated the world since the Cold War, now lose regional wars, mean that anyone can bite the United States?
Therefore, the United States does not dare to fight because it cannot afford to lose.
In view of this, the United States can only warn the Houthis with restraint, and as for co-opting Britain and France to form a convoy, it is still mainly defensive, and it does not pose a threat to the Houthis, who are good at guerrilla warfare.
It is worth noting that the United States and Europe are also at odds over the Red Sea.
Many Western countries do not recognize the United States' proposal for escort operations, and they have also refused to join in one after another, using missiles costing hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars and cheap drones of the Houthis for thousands of dollars.
Moreover, European countries have lost Russia's energy channels and are even more dependent on the Middle East, and the escort operation of the United States, which is unwilling to lose face, will only exacerbate the situation, and in the end it will be the Western countries that will suffer.
Therefore, Biden has fallen into a dilemma: fighting, not necessarily beating, and not being able to lose; It's not big, the face is pressed to the ground and rubbed, and the shame is thrown home. Let's wait and see what the United States will do next.
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