MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US organizes deployment of multinational naval force in the Red Sea to protect commercial shipping

“Operation Prosperity Guardian” includes, US, UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain. The Egyptian navy is already operating in the region (Pic REUTERS)

The United States has organized the deployment in the Red Sea of a multinational naval force to defend against attacks on international shipping in the region. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, currently visiting Bahrain made the announcement.

 “The recent escalation in reckless Houthi attacks originating from Yemen threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law,” Austin said from the US Navy's headquarters in the Middle East in Bahrain.

Dubbed “Operation Prosperity Guardian,” the US-led coalition will include Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.

They will reinforce a US and Egyptian-led force already operating in the region.

The Iran-backed Houthis started targeting ships along the key route in response to Israel's war on Hamas. On Tuesday, the militants said they would not halt attacks on Red Sea shipping despite the announcement of the new maritime protection force.

“Even if America succeeds in mobilizing the entire world, our military operations will not stop... no matter the sacrifices it costs us,” senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said on Twitter.

He added that the group would “respond to any aggression with military operations that are unprecedented.”

In the last four weeks, Houthi militants have attacked or seized commercial ships 12 times and still hold 25 members of the MV Galaxy Leader hostage in Yemen, according to the US.

About 12% of world shipping traffic usually transits via the Suez Canal, the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia, passing into the Red Sea waters off Yemen.

Several major shipping companies have announced they had decided to reroute ships around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.