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

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.