How to respond to attacks by Houthi militias?
Against the backdrop of the war in the Gaza Strip, the number of attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels against tankers and freighters headed to and from Israel via the Red Sea has markedly increased. As a result, several shipping companies have announced that they will now avoid this key trade route. The US government has called for an international military alliance against the Iranian-backed militias. Europe's press examines the complex situation.
Global balance at stake here
The Houthi attacks pose a threat to the global economy, Libération stresses:
“Many shipping companies are now considering a route around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. However, this will almost double the transport time and therefore also some of the costs. This situation is dangerous for the global economy and makes it all the more important to actively resolve the Middle East conflict once the guns have fallen silent. It is no longer just about Israel and the Palestinian territories, but about the global balance.”
This should have been dealt with sooner
La Repubblica is annoyed that the West failed to foresee and prevent this situation:
“In the case of the Houthis, the United States and Europe have failed. They neither prevented the rise of the Islamist movement nor contained the civil war that has allowed it to take control of most of Yemen. It's as if geography had been forgotten and no thought had been given to how easy it would be for the pro-Iranian guerrillas to threaten the Bab el Mandeb strait, which is only 29 kilometres wide, and turn it into the Caudine Forks of globalised trade.”
Forge a broad alliance
It's time to go on the offensive against the Houthi's attacks, writes the taz:
“A similar situation back in 2016 shows what form this could take. In response to the shelling of US warships in the Red Sea, a US destroyer attacked three radar installations in a Houthi-controlled area on the Yemeni coast. These were limited strikes on military positions which did not put civilians in danger. A naval alliance is also needed to protect shipping in the Red Sea. The Europeans, including Germany, should examine how they can fulfil the requests made by Washington to participate. It's also important to get Arab states on board for an anti-Houthi alliance.”
This won't be easy
Diena sees major obstacles:
“It is still unclear what the operation will look like and, above all, whether it will be successful. The first problem: the Houthis are not just a militant group, but Yemeni tribal militias. The Yemeni tribes, in turn, are known both for their extreme militancy and for the fact that, in all their long history, no other power has ever been able to conquer their territories. ... The second problem: the only Arab country that the US has been able to persuade to join the coalition despite vigorous efforts is Bahrain, whose military potential is frankly modest.”
Tehran's ambivalent stance
France Inter analyses Iran's role:
“It must be said that Tehran's clout in its sphere of influence is not diminishing. We are talking here about an arc that stretches from Yemen to the Gaza Strip, via the Iraqi Shia militias, Syria, and of course its most important lynchpin, Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran's stance in the current crisis is ambivalent: while it is not openly escalating the situation, it is allowing its allies to grow stronger. This is clearly the case at the moment with the Houthis in Yemen, who are carrying out attacks in the Red Sea. It seems that Tehran's actions are aimed at avoiding a direct confrontation with the US and Israel.”