By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Further escalating tensions in the Red Sea, the Houthi rebels have warned that they will target any ship connected to Israeli ports, regardless of its flag. This announcement signifies a move into the “4th phase” of their naval blockade against Israel. The Houthis stated that they would attack vessels belonging to companies that have dealings with Israeli ports, asserting that they could reach these targets with their missiles and drones. This poses a significant threat to international shipping and further destabilizes the already volatile region.
Read the original article here
Houthis threaten: Any ship that deals with Israeli ports, under any flag, ‘will be targeted anywhere’ – it’s a bold, incredibly risky move, to say the least. If you’re attacking ships that have nothing to do with your immediate conflict, you’re basically painting a massive target on your own back. Think about the implications of hitting a Chinese, Indian, or even a French merchant vessel. These are nations with serious military might and a vested interest in global trade.
The world, for some reason, seems to be overlooking the Houthis’ supply lines. It’s almost as if the ports and docks that are the gateways for their missile shipments from Iran are untouchable. This whole situation has evolved beyond just being about Israel; it’s a direct threat to global trade, impacting every single country that relies on it.
Imagine the invitation the Houthis are giving to countries to openly test their military capabilities, knowing they won’t face significant resistance. It’s a recipe for disaster, a self-inflicted wound. Global trade is a fundamental, a bedrock of the modern world. Messing with it is essentially flirting with your own demise, and following through on this threat could very well be their path to that very end.
Pissing off the United States, India, and China simultaneously, along with their allies, is not a smart strategy. (Let’s be honest, Russia isn’t a player in this, lacking the power to project and mysteriously avoiding attack). The Houthis seem to be desperately trying to gain recognition, possibly from France, learning that terrorism is, in their minds, the way to do it. Ironically, they’ve shown they can’t even tell ships apart, so they will continue attacking anything that floats. The whole thing’s a tragic mess, potentially dragging a poor, starving population into a protracted war that they probably don’t even want.
Instead of focusing on the bombings, the international community needs to pinpoint the source of these ballistic and surface-to-sea missiles. It’s time to shut down these proxy wars. The focus should be on cutting off the supply chain, on applying pressure to the supplier. Iranian terrorism, in other words. Are they planning on globalizing their own conflicts? “Anywhere?” That’s a broad brush, and it begs the question: are the Houthis really planning a global voyage just to target boats? This declaration is essentially a declaration of war against the world.
It’s a recurring pattern: groups backed by Iran starting conflicts they’re destined to lose, causing immense suffering for those around them. Why not simply pursue peace and leave the shipping lanes alone? Cannon diplomacy, the concept of using military power to influence trade, is about to get a Houthi-flavored reboot. The whole thing feels very much like a terrorist organization, and it’s vital that we stop associating these groups with any kind of valiant effort.
Attacking an innocent vessel is an act of war against any state that has some sort of connection to the ship, be it the flag it flies, the owner, the crew’s nationality, or the cargo itself. Are they not dependent on vital food and fuel supplies that arrive by sea? Do they really want to experience a naval and air blockade? The Houthis need some sort of wake-up call. All the confidence and recognition that they’ve acquired thanks to their Iranian backers are a false sense of power and security.
Some of the questions being asked are whether the US’s actions are being interpreted as lying or as simply being ineffectual. The Houthis have already damaged Greek vessels. Are they avoiding Chinese ships? Australia won’t do much beyond offering citizenship. There are few nations with the actual naval capacity to address this on a global scale. The military group standing in opposition backed by another country with interest in both messing with Israel and unrest in Yemen would be shattered if their actions result in a larger conflict that disrupts both Israel and Yemen.
Let’s be clear; this isn’t a new threat. They’ve been making these threats and attacking ships before. It’s incredibly difficult to stop them. I have a feeling their Iranian bosses keep them informed of which vessels to avoid. They won’t attack the Chinese. They are, to put it bluntly, not the brightest bunch. Resourceful, determined, but not particularly smart.
There’s talk of the US going after them, and after a large air campaign, the US signed a deal with the Houthis to prevent them from attacking US ships. Do you think they are worried about retaliation from Italy? There is a desire to focus on a blockade of Iranian weapons exports or production. Some of these comments are a matter of public perception. Israel has been so vilified in the global stage that the world has come to be somewhat afraid to offer support to Israel. The Houthis can leverage this, along with a strong PR campaign, to manipulate public opinion.
The official Houthi slogan, and their flag, includes “Cursed be the Jews.” This makes it very clear that this is more than just a conflict about Israel. This has always been about the Jews. They’ve sunk more ships this year than in previous years. But I don’t see them concerned about the consequences, at all. China will also probably be untouched. Any major military power would likely relish taking out the Houthis.
The main issue here, the real problem, is that their logistics chain isn’t being disrupted. An HQ tent is easy to replace. The focus needs to be on cutting off their arms, food, water, clothing, and shelter. And without those, the militia falls apart. As Clausewitz and Sun Tzu pointed out, and as Gen. Robert H. Barrow reiterated, military success depends on logistics.
Liberian flag? The ship owner should look to the Liberian navy. Greece has no reason to get involved. And, of course, Hamas is still holding the bodies of multiple Thai and Nepalese workers hostage, and the Thai Prime Minister flew to Iran.