Yemen’s Houthis have been put on notice. The Americans and their allies issued a statement this week promising that the Houthis “will bear the responsibility of the consequences” if attacks on ships in the Red Sea continue.
The statement, signed by 12 countries, came the day after two anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen towards vessels in the Red Sea. A US Navy destroyer shot them both down and an American helicopter then sank three Houthi speedboats killing 10 Houthi fighters onboard them. “Let our message now be clear,” read the statement, “We call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews”. It’s clear enough. Another attack and the US must up the stakes or lose face and its reputation as guardian of freedom of navigation in the open sea.
