The U.S. Strengthens Combined Naval Forces to Counter Houthi Actions in the Region

John Kirby, the Strategic Communications Coordinator for the National Security Council at the White House, said in a press conference on Thursday that the U.S. Departments of Defense and State have begun coordinating efforts to strengthen and expand the 39-member combined naval forces. According to Kirby, this force is aimed at countering both state and non-state actors in international waters, with the goal of enhancing maritime security to combat piracy and trafficking. He continued, "Our current focus is to ensure that there is enough military equipment to prevent Houthi actions that threaten maritime trade in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, thereby threatening the global economy." He added that several key partners interested in joining this force have expressed their readiness. This National Security Council media official stated that while the actions are carried out by the Houthis, and as Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor, noted, the Houthis pull the trigger, it is Iran that has provided them with weapons. Referring to the G7 statement from the previous day, he said these countries intend to pursue this issue through the United Nations Security Council, and the U.S. itself has today sanctioned thirteen entities and individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) through the Treasury Department. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury sanctioned 13 individuals and entities responsible for providing tens of millions of dollars in currency from the sale and shipment of Iranian goods, supported by the IRGC, to the Houthis in Yemen. The statement from the U.S. Treasury on Thursday noted that these individuals act as a significant channel for transferring money from the Islamic Republic to the Houthis in Yemen using a complex network of exchanges and companies in various countries, through the IRGC and Saeed Jamal, who was already on the sanctions list. Kirby reiterated warnings to Tehran officials that any arms shipments to this group will be intercepted, and if U.S. military vessels are targeted by the Houthis, the U.S. will certainly respond appropriately. He stated that the continued actions of this group, which its leaders claim are in response to Israel's war against Hamas, increase the risk of escalating conflict in the region. Kirby continued that sending two carrier strike groups to the region is intended to send a message to everyone to avoid expanding the scope of this war beyond Israel and Hamas in Gaza. He reiterated the warning that the U.S. always keeps its options open and will adjust its military posture and capabilities as needed. In response to a question about the purpose of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Russia, he said, "We have evidence that leads us to believe that the Iranians are keen to acquire some advanced military capabilities from Russia, including attack helicopters, aircraft, advanced fighters, and various ballistic and guided missiles, which clearly indicates a growing military relationship between the two countries." He continued that the expansion of these relations is not only bad for the people of Ukraine but also really bad for the people of the Middle East and Iran, as this would enable Iranian officials to have greater military capabilities, which would only lead them to engage in more destabilizing and concerning activities. In this context, the U.S. Department of Defense announced today that in a phone call, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed the Houthi threats against freedom of navigation in the Red Sea with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Khalid bin Salman. During this conversation, Secretary Austin emphasized that Houthi attacks on vessels passing through this vital waterway pose risks to the free flow of trade and the international shipping industry. He also emphasized Iran's dangerous role in advising, arming, and training the Houthis and stressed the necessity of cooperating with all countries that share the principles of freedom of navigation and ensuring safe passage for global shipping.