The US had been hoping to contain the war in Gaza - but confrontation with the Houthis is now a real possibility
The Red Sea attacks have created headaches for the West in both military and economic terms - with regional and global foes seeking advantages, exploiting weaknesses and seizing opportunities.
Tuesday 19 December 2023 05:03, UK
Minds were focused a couple of weeks ago with the release of a highly-produced video of an expertly executed military operation.
Published in mid-November by Yemen's Houthi militia movement, the video showed the Red Sea hijacking of the Galaxy Leader, a huge vehicle transporting ship.
It looked like something out of Hollywood. And that was the intention.
It was designed to show the Houthi militia's sophistication, their intent and their desire to piggyback the Palestinian cause.
The Palestinian flag, alongside their own, was emblazoned on the back of an old Soviet helicopter as it swooped low to dispatch a commando-like group of men onto the deck.
The vessel remains hijacked and the Houthi operations continue with Iranian-supplied kamikaze drones and ballistic missiles fired at a number of commercial ships.
"These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security," the US military's Central Command said in a recent statement.
It added: "We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran."
The Americans and the British have responded with their own barrage of missiles and their own videos.
Filmed from the bridge of the USS Carney, huge flashes show the moment the American destroyer intercepted Houthi missiles this past week.
But despite this effort at active deterrence, the Houthi attacks have persisted which explains the establishment of this broader coalition.
It's not yet entirely clear what precise role each of the nations who make up Operation Prosperity Guardian will have.
But the multinational nature of the coalition is a reflection of the multinational impact all this is having on commerce.
Read more:
Royal Navy shoots down attack drone over Red Sea
UK joins new global force to combat attacks in Red Sea
Yet this is more than just a massive economic headache. This coalition represents a new military front in a conflict which America and the West had been trying to contain to Gaza.
The intensity of Israel's operation in Gaza has played into the hands of the Houthis as they latch on to the Palestinian cause.
The presence of more warships in the region may deter more attacks but it will also heighten tensions and it raises the prospect of a military confrontation with the Houthis - intentional or by accident.
Regional and global foes are posturing, seeking advantages, exploiting weaknesses and seizing opportunities.