2023-12-19 18:55:00
The Royal Navy destroyer Diamond. (Capture of ‘HMS Diamond’). 2023.12.19.
Britain and Italy are dispatching their naval ships to the Red Sea in the Middle East. This is to work with the United States to deter the recent armed provocations carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels against civilian ships in the Red Sea.
According to Archyde.com, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps issued a statement on the 19th (local time) and announced that the Navy destroyer Diamond will participate in the U.S.-led multinational task force (TF) in the Red Sea.
Secretary Shacks condemned the Houthi rebels’ unlawful attacks, saying, “They pose an unacceptable threat to the global economy, worsening regional security and threatening to increase fuel prices.” He emphasized, “This is a problem that needs to be resolved at the international level.”
On the 16th, the Diamond shot down an attack unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) believed to have been launched by Houthi rebels in waters near the Red Sea. According to the British Ministry of Defense, Diamond has now moved to the Red Sea along with three American destroyers and one French warship participating in the task force.
The British Prime Minister’s Office said through a spokesperson that it expects this task force to deter Houthi rebel attacks and protect civilian merchant ships. He explained that there are currently no plans to dispatch additional ships to the Red Sea, but that related plans are being continuously reviewed.
Italy also decided to dispatch a naval vessel to the Red Sea. On this day, the Italian Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying that it would send a naval frigate to the Red Sea within the next few hours to protect the Red Sea route from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said at a ministerial-level video conference of 43 countries chaired by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that day, “Italy will do its part together with the international community to respond to the terrorist activities of the Houthi rebels.”
Earlier, Secretary Austin issued a statement the day before and announced the creation of ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’, a US-led multinational security initiative that seeks to restore safety in the Red Sea in response to maritime provocations by Houthi rebels.
Ten countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain, will participate in the operation and engage in joint response, including joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, where the Houthi rebels are active.
On October 7, when Israel, following a surprise attack by Hamas, began a military operation against the Gaza Strip, the Houthi rebels expressed support for Hamas and fired several missiles at Israel. Afterwards, they captured a car carrier linked to Israel in the Red Sea, and from the 9th, they announced that they would expand their targeting to all ships heading to Israel, regardless of the shipper or shipping company.
The U.S. Department of Defense believes that the Houthi rebels have carried out more than 100 drone and missile attacks so far, targeting 10 merchant ships associated with 35 countries. The previous day, Houthi rebels attacked the oil tanker ‘Swan Atlantic’ owned by a Norwegian shipping company and the bulk carrier ‘Clara’ owned by Swiss shipping company MSC.
As a result, global shipping companies are suspending Red Sea operations one after another and diverting to the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, raising concerns about transportation delays and increased freight rates. If you choose the Cape of Good Hope route, the Europe-Asia route will be extended by about 9,000 km, adding at least 7 more days of travel time, and at least $1 million in additional fuel costs.
(Seoul = News 1)
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