Operation Prosperity Guardian

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Operation Prosperity Guardian
Part of the Israel–Hamas war, Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war‎ and the Yemeni civil war
Date18 December 2023 – present
Location
Red Sea, Gulf of Aden
Status Ongoing
Belligerents

 Yemen (SPC)

 United States[1]
 United Kingdom
 Bahrain
 Canada
 Denmark
 Greece
 Netherlands
 Norway
 Seychelles
Commanders and leaders
Strength
Yemen Houthi movement Unclear (see Houthi armed strength) Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

Operation Prosperity Guardian is a US-led[2] military operation by a multinational coalition formed in December 2023 to respond to Houthi-led attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the formation of an international maritime security force, which aims to end the Houthi blockade of Israel in the Red Sea[3] and counter threats by Houthi forces against international maritime commerce heading or related to Israel[4] following weeks of attacks against commercial vessels amid the 2023 Israel–Hamas war and Houthi involvement in it.[5][6] The coalition currently has more than 20 members.[7] Egypt and Saudi Arabia, both economically reliant on unhindered commercial shipping in the area, are absent from the listed participants.[8] The chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, Usama Rabia, stated that "Navigation traffic in the Suez Canal was not affected by what is happening in the Red Sea".[9] In addition to the eleven listed coalition members, ten governments are anonymously involved.[10]

Background

See also: Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war

The operation aims to ensure the safety of maritime traffic in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden.[1] Following the start of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, multiple civilian container and freight ships were attacked and hijacked in the Gulf of Aden by Houthi forces. The attacks prompted most major shipping companies to divert their routes away from the Suez Canal. As of 21 December 2023, at least twelve civilian vessels have been attacked.

The waterways to and from the Red Sea are shipping chokepoints for the global economy which connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal with the Horn of Africa.[11] This had led to the 2023 situation being dubbed "a new Suez Crisis" by The Economist.[12]

Forces

Combined Task Force 153, under control of the U.S. Combined Maritime Forces,[1] will control the vessels of the operation, which currently includes the United Kingdom's HMS Diamond, a Hellenic Navy frigate,[13] USS Laboon,[14] and two other U.S. destroyers.[15] The US contingent may include the USS Carney and USS Mason.[5]

The Netherlands plans to send two staff officers. Norway plans on dispatching up to ten staff officers, but as of now is not sending any vessels.[16] Australia announced that it will send 11 military personnel with no warships.[17] The US also requested that Australia deploy a warship to the region, but the latter declined.[18]

Canada is deploying three staff officers by way of Operation Artemis.[19] The Canadian Armed Forces will deploy an unspecified number of land, air and sea support vehicles.[20] Seychelles is not deploying any vessels or personnel, and limits its participation to "providing and receiving information".[21] Denmark have said they will be participating in the operation through the sending of one officer.[2]

Reactions

The Houthis stated: "We have capabilities to sink your fleet, your submarines, your warships", adding "the Red Sea will be your graveyard".[22][23] In a public statement, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami reassured the Iranian public that there is nothing to fear from the coalition.[24][25] (The Iranian government has long had purported direct ties to the Houthi movement.) IRGC senior officer Mohammad Reza Naqdi was cited as threatening to close "the Mediterranean Sea, (the Strait of) Gibraltar and other waterways" without explaining how.[26]

Whilst named by the United States as part of the coalition, the French Defense Ministry stated that its warships including "would stay under French command".[2] Italy's Defense Ministry, which has the Italian frigate Virginio Fasan in the area, also stated that the warship was not part of Prosperity Guardian.[2] Spain's Defense Ministry stated that it would only take part in operations under NATO or EU coordination,[2] with Spain likewise vetoing any potential EU contribution to Operation Prosperity Guardian through the resources of EU-conducted Operation Atalanta.[27]

The Maersk Line announced on 24 December that with Operation Prosperity Guardian now in place, it would resume using the Suez Canal.[28]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Statement from Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Ensuring Freedom of Navigation in the Red Sea". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "What is U.S.-led Red Sea coalition and which countries are backing it?". Reuters. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  3. ^ Johnson, Jake (23 December 2023). "Biden Urged Not to Attack Yemen Over Houthi Blockade of Israel in Red Sea". Truthout. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Yemen's Houthis warn they will target all ships headed to Israel". Reuters. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023. A Houthi military spokesperson said all ships sailing to Israeli ports are banned from the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea."If Gaza does not receive the food and medicine it needs, all ships in the Red Sea bound for Israeli ports, regardless of their nationality, will become a target for our armed forces," the spokesperson said in a statement.
  5. ^ a b Copp, Tara; Baldor, Lolita C. (19 December 2023). "Pentagon announces new international mission to counter attacks on commercial vessels in Red Sea". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  6. ^ Michael Callahan; Haley Britzkey (18 December 2023). "Austin announces US-led security operation focusing on Red Sea, Gulf of Aden after Houthi attacks on commercial shipping". CNN. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  7. ^ "More than 20 countries join coalition to protect Red Sea shipping, says Pentagon". The Times of Israel. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  8. ^ Sabbagh, Dan (19 December 2023). "US announces naval coalition to defend Red Sea shipping from Houthi attacks". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  9. ^ "أسامة ربيع: حركة الملاحة في قناة السويس لم تتأثر بما يحدث في البحر الأحمر". مصراوي.كوم (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  10. ^ Altman, Howard (19 December 2023). "Red Sea Maritime Coalition Much Bigger Than Originally Disclosed". The Drive. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  11. ^ "BP pauses all Red Sea shipments after rebel attacks". 18 December 2023. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023 – via BBC. Analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence found that nearly 15% of goods imported into Europe, the Middle East and North Africa were shipped from Asia and the Gulf by sea. That includes 21.5% of refined oil and more than 13% of crude oil.
  12. ^ "A new Suez crisis threatens the world economy – Global shipping firms are suspending voyages in the Red Sea". The Economist. 16 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Dendias: Greece will dispatch frigate to Red Sea | eKathimerini.com". www.ekathimerini.com. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  14. ^ "US says Houthi drones attacked warship, tankers in Red Sea". The Times of Israel. 24 December 2023. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  15. ^ "HMS Diamond joins new international task force to protect shipping in the Red Sea" (press release). UK Ministry of Defence. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  16. ^ Eckstein, Megan; Chuter, Andrew; Ruitenberg, Rudy (19 December 2023). "US unveils international force to defend Red Sea. Here's what we know". Defense News. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Australia to send military personnel to help protect Red Sea shipping but no warship". Associated Press. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  18. ^ Hurst, Daniel (20 December 2023). "Red Sea crisis: why the Albanese government said no to the United States' warship request". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Canada sending 3 staff officers to support U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian". CTV News. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  20. ^ "Canada to participate in United States-led Operation Prosperity Guardian". www.canada.ca. National Defence. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Seychelles' participation in "Operation Prosperity Guardian" is only information exchange". Seychelles News Agency. 20 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Houthis Warn Maritime Coalition: Red Sea Will Be Your Graveyard". Iran International. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  23. ^ "واکنش یمن به تشکیل ائتلاف آمریکایی: دریای سرخ را گورستانتان خواهیم کرد" [Yemen's reaction to the formation of the American coalition: We will make the Red Sea your cemetery]. Tasnim News Agency (in Persian). 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  24. ^ "فرمانده کل سپاه: مردم نگران ائتلاف دنیا علیه ایران نباشند" [Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC: People should not worry about the world coalition against Iran]. didbaniran.ir (in Persian). 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  25. ^ "فرمانده سپاه: اسراییل به زودی کم خواهد آورد" [Commander of the IRGC: Israel will soon be reduced]. aftabnews.ir (in Persian). December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  26. ^ "Iran threatens Mediterranean closure over Gaza, without saying how". Reuters. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  27. ^ "España bloquea la contribución de la misión Atalanta de la UE a la operación de EEUU en el mar Rojo". eldiario.es (in Spanish). 22 December 2023. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  28. ^ Raja Simhan, T E (25 December 2023). "Maersk set to resume Red Sea passage with 'Operation Prosperity Guardian' deployment". Business Line. Retrieved 27 December 2023.


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