An American defense official told Al Arabiya in English that Washington has been in contact with at least 12 countries as part of efforts to create a maritime strike group to provide safe passage for commercial ships in and around the Red Sea.
U.S. officials have said they are looking for ways to expand the existing Combined Task Force 153, which is currently based in Bahrain.
Currently, 39 countries are members of Task Force 153, but the U.S. defense official said that new negotiations have been conducted with 12 countries, focusing on actions to ensure maritime navigation security. The official, who did not want to be named, did not provide further details about which countries the U.S. is negotiating with.
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Following the Hamas-Israel war since October 7th, the Houthis rose in support of Hamas and carried out a series of drone and missile attacks towards Israel. These Iran-backed militias also attacked ships passing through vital routes in the Red Sea.
The U.S. military announced that the Houthis attacked the oil tanker “Astrinda” with an anti-ship cruise missile as it passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea on Tuesday. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they targeted the oil tanker to deliver crude oil to Israel. However, the Norwegian owners of this oil tanker stated that it was heading towards Italy and had no intention of stopping in Israel.
Following the increasing attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militants from Yemen on commercial ships and Israel, U.S. officials have been considering the formation of a specialized group focused on addressing these threats.
The U.S. military stated that there are numerous reasons for the four attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea last week, but they were carried out by the Yemeni Houthis, not by Iran. The United States emphasized that it will consider “all appropriate responses” to address this issue.
On Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with regional officials about the threats to maritime freedom in the Red Sea from the Houthis.
Austin, in a call with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Salman, emphasized the dangerous role of Iran in advising, arming, and training the Houthis. He also talked about Washington’s willingness to collaborate with “like-minded partners” to “secure global shipping safety.”
I spoke with the Saudi Minister of Defense to discuss Houthi threats to Freedom of Navigation in the Red Sea and our desire to work with like-minded partners to secure safe passage for global shipping. https://t.co/WzgPmqQ4Vz
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) December 7, 2023
This negotiation comes just days after the United States announced its intention to form a maritime strike group.
Last week, the U.S. Secretary of Defense condemned the increasing Houthi incursions in the Red Sea during a call with his Israeli counterpart, stating that such actions threaten the flow of trade.
The Houthis have warned that regional security is now tied to the Gaza war and claim to have the power to escalate tensions further.
The Islamic Republic of Iran denies involvement in the Houthi attacks. However, Britain condemned the Houthi militia’s attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea on December 4th and criticized the Islamic Republic of Iran for its involvement in these attacks.
Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, also held the Islamic Republic responsible for these attacks and emphasized: “The Houthis are the ones pulling the trigger, but Iran supplies their weapons, and we believe that the Islamic Republic is ultimately responsible for this.”