"The recent escalation in reckless Houthi attacks originating from Yemen threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners and violates international law," Austin said in a statement Monday. Austin said the countries involved in the new task force "- dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian "- include the US, the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles and Spain. It will be run under the umbrella of a pre-existing grouping in the region, the Combined Maritime Forces, and the leadership of its Task Force 153, which focuses on the Red Sea. Austin, speaking at a briefing in Tel Aviv with his Israeli counterpart earlier in the day, said he would convene a virtual ministerial meeting Tuesday to discuss ways to protect ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis have claimed repeated attacks in the Red Sea on commercial vessels in the last several days, incidents that the US and allies say are intended to provoke a wider Middle East War.

Source: Ethiopian News December 19, 2023 10:14 UTC