US readies Navy to secure Red Sea shipping routes against Houthi attacks

Dec 18, 2023

Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

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The U.S. is deploying naval ships to the Red Sea amid increasing Houthi rebel attacks. While U.S. Central Command holds a 36-0 record against Houthi threats, most recently intercepting a hail of drone attacks, major shipping companies have temporarily halted Suez Canal transport — a route handling 9% of global oil.

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In the early morning hours of December 16 (Sanna time) the US Arliegh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS CARNEY (DDG 64), operating in the Red Sea, successfully engaged 14 unmanned aerial systems launched as a drone wave from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The UAS were… pic.twitter.com/Rjkzng5LxW
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 16, 2023

While in the Middle East this week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will announce Operation Prosperity Guardian, an international effort to protect shipping companies from Houthi attacks and secure commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea. Led by the U.S., the operation will involve assistance from British and French vessels actively thwarting attacks in the region.

“And so we’re taking action to build an international coalition to address this threat,” Austin told press in Tel Aviv. “And I would remind you that this is not just a U.S. issue. This is an international problem, and it deserves an international response. The straits are pretty important, as we know. As you know, a large amount of commerce flows through there. International commerce flows through there on a daily basis.”

BP earnings more than doubled in the third quarter; a judge blocked a merger between two major publishers; and the Powerball prize is now $1.2 billion. — Reuters

London’s oil giant, British Petroleum, joined 10 other major shipping and energy groups in pausing shipments in the Red Sea due to ongoing Houthi attacks. A tanker navigating from the Middle East to Europe would typically take 17 days via the Suez Canal. The journey takes 41 days if circumventing Africa.

The announcement led to a hike in oil and gas prices Monday, Dec. 18. Combined with expected increases in shipping prices, the pause in the Red Sea will have at least a short-term impact on consumers in Europe and North America.

Tags: Hamas, Lloyd Austin, Navy, Oil, Oil prices, Oil Supply, shipping containers

RYAN ROBERTSON

THE U-S NAVY IS LEADING A NEW INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO PROTECT SHIPPING IN THE RED SEA. THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AS HOUTHI REBELS ARE INCREASING THEIR ATTACKS ON SHIPS IN THE REGION.

WHILE U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND HOLDS A 36-0 RECORD AGAINST THOSE HOUTHI THREATS, MOST RECENTLY SHOOTING DOWN A HAIL OF DRONE ATTACKS, MAJOR SHIPPING COMPANIES ARE TEMPORARILY HALTING TRANSPORTS THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL —A TRADE ROUTE RESPONSIBLE FOR 9% OF GLOBAL OIL.

WHILE IN THE MIDDLE EAST THIS WEEK, DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN WILL ANNOUNCE “OPERATION PROSPERITY GUARDIAN” THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT SEEKS TO PROTECT SHIPPING COMPANIES FROM HOUTHI ATTACKS AND SECURE COMMERCIAL SHIPPING ROUTES IN THE RED SEA. LED BY THE U.S. THE OPERATION WILL INCLUDE ASSISTANCE FROM BRITISH AND FRENCH VESSELS WHICH ARE ALSO ASSISTING IN THE DOWNING OF HOUTHI ATTACK DRONES AND CRUISE MISSILES IN THE REGION.

LLOYD AUSTIN | U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY

“And so we’re taking action to build an international coalition to address this threat. And I would remind you that this is not just a U.S. issue. This is an international problem, and it deserves an international response. The straights are pretty, pretty important, as we know. As you know, a large amount of commerce flows through there. International commerce flows through there on a daily basis.”

RYAN ROBERTSON

THE OIL GIANT – BRITISH PETROLEUM – JOINED 10 OTHER MAJOR SHIPPING AND ENERGY CONGLOMERATES IN PAUSING SHIPMENTS IN THE RED SEA BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING HOUTHI ATTACKS.

A TANKER GOING FROM THE MIDDLE EAST TO EUROPE WOULD NORMALLY TAKE 17 DAYS IF IT WENT THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL. THE JOURNEY TAKES 41 DAYS IF CIRCUMVENTING AFRICA.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO HALT TRANSITS IN THE CANAL LED TO A HIKE IN OIL AND GAS PRICES. WHEN COMBINED WITH EXPECTED HIKES IN SHIPPING COSTS, THE PAUSE IN THE RED SEA WILL HAVE AT LEAST A SHORT-TERM IMPACT ON CONSUMER PRICES IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA.