The situation in the Red Sea continues to worsen. The constant attacks by the Houthi rebels on ships passing off the coast of Yemen have caused large shipping companies to decide to temporarily suspend their activity on that route (one of the most important in world trade).. Given this situation, this Monday the United States announced the launch of the international operation Guardian of Prosperity, with which it aims to combat this “threat.”. Although the US has included Spain among the countries that will participate in the mission, the Spanish Ministry of Defense has clarified that its possible participation “is subject to decisions of the EU and NATO.”

The operation was reported by the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, who was on a visit to Israel on Monday to reaffirm his military support for the Netanyahu Government.. This mission will be commanded by the Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational alliance dedicated to defending international maritime routes, and specifically by Task Force 153, which operates in the Red Sea, the Strait of Bab el Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden.. Austin assured that nine other countries would participate: Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Seychelles and Spain.

Asked about Spanish participation, the Ministry of Defense has clarified that its involvement in the military operation “is subject to decisions of the EU and NATO.”. Furthermore, they have stressed that “Spain, unilaterally, will not participate in this area”. At the moment the EU has not activated any joint action (considered in a clause of its Common Foreign and Security Policy). The Foreign Affairs spokesman of the European Commission, Peter Stano, has acknowledged that the EU countries are discussing both among themselves and with their partners what the way to act should be: “This is obviously an international problem and a solution is needed. international”.

The United States defends that the mission will allow ships to transit that maritime route. The spokesman for the US Department of Defense, Pat Ryder, has pointed out that the Houthis have carried out more than one hundred drone and missile attacks against ten merchant ships in the area to date, including the November 19 hijacking of the Galaxy Leader.

However, the Yemeni rebels have responded by ensuring that they will maintain their attacks. Mohamed al Bukaiti, a member of the political wing of the rebels, has stressed that these operations “will not stop” as long as “the crimes of genocide in Gaza do not end,” “even if the United States succeeds in mobilizing the entire world.” .

Fear of an expansion of the conflict

Before announcing the international mission, the United States had debated other options such as deterring the rebels or attacking their anti-ship missile and drone arsenals.. Two measures that for the moment seem to have been discarded. The US authorities and their allies have avoided responding so as not to increase instability in the area, especially due to the possible reaction of Iran, whose government supports the Houthis in the conflict in Yemen.

Tehran has distanced itself from the Houthi attacks and has highlighted that they have autonomy in their operations. However, all the groups over which Iran has influence have attacked either Israel or US bases in the region in recent weeks.. Pro-Iran militias active in Iraq and Syria have bombed US targets in these countries, while the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah attacks small Israeli territory daily.

Although all of these attacks have been responded to by both the US and Israel, senior US officials have expressed caution about further involvement leading to an expansion of the conflict in Gaza; especially by Iran. The bombings against rebel positions could reactivate the Yemeni war, which until October 7 was going through a stage of relative detente as a result of the agreement reached in March by Iran and Saudi Arabia (which leads a military coalition against the Houthis) to restore their diplomatic relations.

A fundamental region for global trade

“The attacks have already disrupted the global economy and will continue to threaten commercial shipping if the international community does not come together to collectively address the issue,” Austin said. In recent days, the world's major shipping companies – CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk and MSC – have paused or suspended their services in the Red Sea; a measure to which the oil company BP has joined. According to The Economist, these four companies account for 53% of global container trade.

This situation could increase trade costs due to the need for ships to opt for a longer route around the Cape of Good Hope and around Africa instead of taking a shorter route through the Mediterranean.. It is estimated that between 10 and 15% of world trade passes through the Red Sea.

It remains to be seen how the operation will be led by the United States and whether more countries will join the initiative.. Austin has urged “to join US-led initiatives” to “restore security in the Red Sea and deter future aggression.”