Senate Republican Leader Calls for Stronger U.S. Action Against Houthis and Their Supporters

Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, on Monday described the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea as an 'Iranian terrorist threat' and a challenge to maritime freedom, urging the U.S. government to take more serious action in this regard. He referred to the Houthi attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea as a sign of the increasing audacity of Iran's proxy forces and warned of the serious threat these incidents pose to the global economy. Senator McConnell emphasized that protecting maritime freedom has always been a vital interest of the United States, stating, 'Attacks on free shipping are a direct challenge to American leadership.' He noted that the shutdown of operations of several major shipping companies due to insecurity in the Red Sea poses a direct threat to global trade, which conducts about 12% of its volume through this route. He criticized the current approach to addressing real challenges and threats as undermining America's credibility as a global superpower and called for more serious actions by the government against the Houthis and their supporters to maintain America's credibility and global leadership. John Kirby, the National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator, stated on December 8 that the U.S. is strengthening combined naval forces to counter Houthi actions in the region. The U.S. Secretary of Defense, who is visiting the Middle East, announced the formation of a new naval force to protect ships passing through the Red Sea, in collaboration with the U.S. and several other countries, aimed at countering Houthi attacks. Lloyd Austin issued a statement saying, 'The Red Sea is a vital waterway that facilitates international trade. The escalation of Houthi attacks from Yemen threatens the free flow of trade, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law. This is an international challenge that requires collective action, so today I announce the formation of the 'Guardian of Prosperity' group and operation, which is an important multinational security initiative.' He noted that the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain will join the U.S. in the new mission, adding, 'In this operation, some countries will conduct joint patrols while others will provide intelligence support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.' The Houthi movement is a political and armed movement of Shiites in Yemen that emerged in the 1990s in northwestern Yemen. The Iran-backed Houthis currently control Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, and parts of its north, and have temporarily chosen the city of Aden as their capital. The Houthis are currently listed as terrorist groups by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia. The Trump administration designated the Houthis as a terrorist group in January 2021 and imposed sanctions on them, but with the new Biden administration, these groups were removed from the terrorist list and their sanctions were lifted. The U.S. Secretary of Defense warned about Houthi attacks on the Islamic Republic while in Israel. Lloyd Austin is arriving in Israel today. Two other shipping companies have refrained from passing through the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; Houthi attacks have made the Red Sea unsafe. The U.S. reported the downing of 14 Houthi attack drones. The UK downed an attack drone over the Red Sea. The Pentagon ordered the U.S. aircraft carrier to remain in the eastern Mediterranean near Israel. Houthi missile attacks in the Red Sea set a Liberian-flagged ship on fire. Houthi missile attacks targeted a ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.