President Joe Biden confirmed that the United States will persist with military strikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
However, he acknowledged that these actions have not yet succeeded in halting the Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, a situation that continues to escalate tensions in the region.
President Biden Addresses Press on Ongoing Military Strikes
The President made these remarks during an exchange with reporters before departing the White House for a domestic policy speech in North Carolina. When questioned about the effectiveness of the military strikes, Biden stated, “When you say working, are they stopping the Houthis, no. Are they going to continue, yes.”
The US military, in response to the ongoing violence sparked by the October 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, has conducted multiple ship- and submarine-launched missile strikes against Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen. Despite these efforts, Houthi militants persist in targeting vessels in the Red Sea.
The most recent wave of missile strikes, launched from the Red Sea, targeted 14 missiles deemed an imminent threat.
However, hours later, a US-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden faced an attack from a bomb-carrying drone launched by Houthi rebels. The attack caused a fire on board, but the vessel’s captain confirmed that both the vessel and the crew are safe and proceeding to the next port of call.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, identified the attacked ship as the bulk carrier Genco Picardy. Saree warned of an inevitable response to the American and British attacks and asserted that any new attack would not go without a corresponding response and punishment.
In response to these incidents, the US officially designated the Houthis as specially designated global terrorists, a status they were removed from three years ago.
The move is aimed at severing the group’s access to the global financial system. However, it falls short of re-labeling the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, a more far-reaching option at the Biden administration’s disposal.
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The Houthi Factor: Unraveling the Complex Geopolitical Web in the Region
Despite the sanctions, the Houthis remain defiant, vowing to continue targeting ships using the vital Red Sea shipping lanes. Mohammed Abdelsalam, the group’s spokesman, affirmed their commitment to targeting Israeli ships or those heading towards ports in occupied Palestine.
He also warned of retaliation to any new strikes on Yemen by the United States or Britain.
The ongoing conflict in the region involves a complex web of geopolitical factors, with the Houthis aligning themselves with an Axis of Resistance that includes Hamas and Hezbollah, all supported by Iran.
The attacks on vessels in the Red Sea are part of a broader response to the Gaza conflict, with the Houthis claiming to support Palestinians, even though many targeted ships have no ties to Israel. The situation remains volatile, with the risk of further escalation in the Middle East.
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