The ongoing issue of how to effectively counter the Yemen-based Houthi militia was again highlighted on 26 January 2024 when the British-registered tanker Marlin Luanda was struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden.
The strike resulted in a blaze on board the ships that lasted for 18 hours, although Trafigura, the nultinational trading company that operates the ship, stated on 27 January that all crew were safe and that the fire on the tanker had been put out.
UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps stated on X/Twitter on 27 January, “This intolerable and illegal attack on maritime shipping is the latest on innocent people and global trade. It is our duty to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and we remain as committed to that cause as ever.”
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) then issued a press release on 28 January noting that the previous day the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond had “successfully repelled a drone attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea”.
The further targeting of British assets in the region could thus force the UK MoD’s hand in acting militarily against the Houthis.
However, given that the Yemen-based militia, materially supported by Iran, have defiantly continued their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea region, it appears that Western military forces in the region will have to considerably ratchet up their attacks on the Houthis’ missile and unmanned-aerial-vehicle-launching capabilities to substantially curtail further attacks on shipping.
One dilemma is the extent to which the United Kingdom, United States and their allies are prepared to interdict the Houthis’ supply lines to Iran in actions that would threaten to bring them into more overt conflict with Tehran.
After the Houthis defied a joint statement from the United States and 12 other countries issued on 3 January 2024 that warned them against further attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea region, the US military conducted its first strikes against Houthis assets on 12 January in conjunction with UK forces. More than 60 targets at 16 Houthi militant locations were struck by US naval aviation and Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles fired from US Navy vessels as well as four Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighters operating out of RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus.
Subsequent limited US strikes have continued since then, yet the Houthis have shown no sign of relenting.
Hostile Houthi action in response to the Israel Defense Forces’ campaign against Hamas militants in Gaza began on 19 October 2023 following Hamas’ terrorist attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. The Houthis started targeting US naval and international shipping from 15 November 2023.
