The US And Its Allies Warn The Houthis Of Attacks In The Red Sea

Illustration of the US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) with the USS Antietam (CG-54). (Wikimedia Commons/National Museum of the US Navy)

JAKARTA - The United States and its allies have warned Yemen's Houthis for the consequences of their "unacceptable" attacks on the Red Sea.

In a joint statement, the US, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Britain called for an immediate cessation of "illegal attacks" and the release of illegally detained ships and crew members.

"Houthi will be responsible for the consequences if they continue to threaten the lives, global economy, and free-of-trade in important waters of the region," the statement said.

The statement stressed there was no legal justification to intentionally target civilian ships and naval vessels.

"Attacks on ships, including commercial ships, using unmanned aerial vehicles, small boats, and missiles, including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time against these vessels, are a direct threat to navigational freedom which is the basis of global trade on one of the most important territorial waters in the world," the statement read.

The statement said the attack threatened the lives of innocent people from around the world, underscoring that the attack was a significant international issue that required collective action.

Touching on the negative impact of the attack, it was stated that international shipping companies continued to change their ship routes around Tanjung Harapan, thus increasing significant costs and delays for weeks in shipping goods.

In the end, it endangers the movement of food and fuel that is important, and humanitarian aid around the world.

"We remain committed to an international regulatory-based order and are determined to hold criminals accountable for unlawful confiscation and attacks," the statement said.

Houthi rebels in Yemen significantly increased their involvement in the Israeli-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip by targeting ships in the South Red Sea.

The group has warned that it will attack all ships bound for Israel.

The attack aims to support Palestinians facing Israel's aggression and siege' in Gaza.

The Red Sea is one of the most frequently used sea routes in the world for oil and fuel shipments.

Last month, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the establishment of a multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian mission to counter the Houthi attack on commercial ships in the Red Sea.