After the Houthis did not heed several warnings from Washington and London to stop attacking vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the US and the UK, with the help of other countries, attacked a series of targets in Yemen. This was a limited operation, intended to signal that the situation has become intolerable. It was designed to damage the ability of the Houthis to continue their attacks, while trying to avoid escalation with Iran and its proxies and endangering the ceasefire in Yemen and the negotiations toward a long-term settlement between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
The attack comes after an extended waiting period, during which the Americans and the British tried unsuccessfully to mobilize additional countries from the region, primarily Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, into public action. They refused, for fear of being attacked by the Houthis and in order not to be seen as supporting the regional coalition, which has the image of an entity designed to protect Israel.
This development contributes to the sympathy of the Houthis in Yemen and the Arab world, casting them as those who stand against the US, and more importantly – against Israel.
What is next? The Houthis have several levels of escalation: for example, attacking American bases in the Gulf countries or resuming fire at Israel. Later, they can attack targets that are not identified with the Americans in the Gulf countries, as they have threatened. Their continued violation of freedom of navigation in the Red Sea will also be seen as an achievement. The US and Britain will have to decide to what extent they are pushing the envelope and risking either an escalation in Yemen or activity that counters other interests in the region.
The one that remains “clean” is Iran, which is not mentioned, neither in the warning published before the attack nor in the British and US announcements that followed. This is despite the fact that the Iranians not only arm the Houthis, but (according to the Americans themselves) also assist them with intelligence to direct attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The US constantly emphasizes that it is not interested in a campaign against Iran, but perhaps by avoiding such a campaign, at almost any cost, it is actually bringing it closer.
After the Houthis did not heed several warnings from Washington and London to stop attacking vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the US and the UK, with the help of other countries, attacked a series of targets in Yemen. This was a limited operation, intended to signal that the situation has become intolerable. It was designed to damage the ability of the Houthis to continue their attacks, while trying to avoid escalation with Iran and its proxies and endangering the ceasefire in Yemen and the negotiations toward a long-term settlement between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
The attack comes after an extended waiting period, during which the Americans and the British tried unsuccessfully to mobilize additional countries from the region, primarily Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, into public action. They refused, for fear of being attacked by the Houthis and in order not to be seen as supporting the regional coalition, which has the image of an entity designed to protect Israel.
This development contributes to the sympathy of the Houthis in Yemen and the Arab world, casting them as those who stand against the US, and more importantly – against Israel.
What is next? The Houthis have several levels of escalation: for example, attacking American bases in the Gulf countries or resuming fire at Israel. Later, they can attack targets that are not identified with the Americans in the Gulf countries, as they have threatened. Their continued violation of freedom of navigation in the Red Sea will also be seen as an achievement. The US and Britain will have to decide to what extent they are pushing the envelope and risking either an escalation in Yemen or activity that counters other interests in the region.
The one that remains “clean” is Iran, which is not mentioned, neither in the warning published before the attack nor in the British and US announcements that followed. This is despite the fact that the Iranians not only arm the Houthis, but (according to the Americans themselves) also assist them with intelligence to direct attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The US constantly emphasizes that it is not interested in a campaign against Iran, but perhaps by avoiding such a campaign, at almost any cost, it is actually bringing it closer.