Global Coalition Launches Operation to Protect Red Sea Shipping from Houthi Attacks
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a new US-led multinational security initiative focused on addressing the security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The operation comes in response to recent attacks by Houthi forces on commercial marine traffic in the region, including the targeting of a commercial vessel with a one-way attack drone and an anti-ship ballistic missile. The multinational operation includes countries such as the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain. The attacks by Houthi forces threaten the free flow of commerce, endanger innocent mariners, and violate international law, according to Austin.