Expand existing task force to protect Red Sea from Houthi attacks

Excerpt

The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen struck three commercial vessels with missiles in the southern Red Sea on Dec. 3, according to U.S. Central Command. In response, Washington is working to form a maritime task force to ensure the safe passage of ships.

But rather than creating a new task force from scratch, the Biden administration should use the existing Combined Task Force 153 to urgently build a larger international effort to protect commercial vessels sailing near Yemen and to interdict Iranian weapons smuggling to the Houthis. That could help deter and defeat attacks as well as defend freedom of navigation and the unimpeded flow of commerce through one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.

To understand why this is the best approach, it is helpful to consider the context.

Here’s what happened on Sunday: The U.S. Navy’s Arleigh-Burke class destroyer Carney responded to distress calls from commercial vessels transiting international shipping lanes in the Red Sea. During the hourslong ordeal, the Unity Explorer, the M/V Number 9 and the M/V Sophie II were struck by missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. While attempting to assist the commercial vessels, Carney detected and was forced to destroy three UAVs menacing the ships.

Bradley Bowman is the senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, where Mike Daum is a research analyst.