The UN Security Council Calls for Houthis to Stop Attacks in the Red Sea, Backed by US and UK Warnings of Retaliatory Strikes

On Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution urging the Houthi rebels in Yemen to stop their aggressive actions in the Red Sea. This resolution comes amidst hints from the United States and the United Kingdom that they might undertake military strikes in response.

The resolution, which received 11 votes in favor and had four abstentions including Russia and China, was a response to the Houthis’ weeks-long campaign of launching drones and missiles at ships in the critical shipping lane. The Houthis claim these attacks are retaliatory actions against Israel for its military operations in Gaza.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, currently touring the region to alleviate tensions, warned of consequences if the Houthi attacks continue. The US, along with other nations, is involved in Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea, a multinational initiative to secure one of the world’s key maritime routes. Recently, US Navy warships have intercepted numerous Houthi projectiles, including a significant barrage on Tuesday.

The situation in the Red Sea has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict due to the ongoing war in Gaza. The UN resolution condemns around two dozen Houthi assaults on merchant ships since November 19, which began with an attack on the commercial vessel Galaxy Leader.

The US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has implicated Iran in aiding the Houthis, stressing that the resolution demands the group to cease violating international law.

The Houthis have declared they will stop their attacks only when Israel allows the entry of food and medicine into Gaza. They aim to exert economic pressure on Israel’s allies, hoping to influence Israel to end its attacks on the enclave.

Mohamed Ali al-Houthi of Yemen’s Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee defended the group’s actions, claiming they are a legitimate defense. He accused the US, Britain, and Israel of violating international law in their response to the Gaza war.

The conflict in Gaza has caused a humanitarian crisis, with over 23,000 people killed in Israeli strikes since October 7, as per the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. Approximately 70% of the casualties are believed to be women and children.

The US has called on Israel to protect civilians while targeting Hamas but abstained from a UN Security Council vote in December that called for humanitarian pauses in the war, as it did not condemn Hamas.

The Houthi attacks, numbering at least 26 since November 19, threaten the global economy by disrupting shipping through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The US Navy has been active in this region, sinking three Houthi boats on December 31 after they attacked a commercial ship.

Following one of the largest recent Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, US and British navies downed 21 Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen on Tuesday. A Houthi military spokesperson claimed this attack was a response to a US attack on Houthi naval units.

US guided-missile destroyers and F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, along with the UK’s Royal Navy air defense destroyer HMS Diamond, were involved in countering this attack. British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps emphasized the UK’s commitment to protecting innocent lives and the global economy, warning of consequences for continued illegal Houthi attacks.