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Iran Uses Houthis to Blockade Israel and Take Over the Red Sea

(Jerusalem Post) Seth J. Frantzman - More than eight months after the U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian began, the Houthis continue to attack ships. They attacked the Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Sounion in the Red Sea on Aug. 22 and the ship, carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil, continues to burn. Iran backs the Houthis and is using them to try to blockade Israel and take over the Red Sea. Stakeholder countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt should be doing more to secure the waterway, but they are concerned they will not be backed by the West. This leaves the region open to Iran's predatory behavior. The Houthi campaign is not really about Israel. This is about Iran making a play to control the region. The U.S. and Western countries have largely been unable to stop the Houthi attacks, which are occurring almost every day. This is not how international waters are supposed to operate. It used to be policy to keep these waters safe. However, Iran and the Houthis have shown they can upend centuries of the U.S., UK, and others securing the world's waterways. This is part of a play by Russia and China to upend world order. Their goal is to work with Iran and proxy groups such as the Houthis to weaken the U.S. and Western ability to set global norms.
2024-09-03 00:00:00
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