A new battlefield

Almost immediately after having been attacked by the US and UK with the support of Canada, Australia, Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates with bombs and rackets, the Houthi rebels in Yemen promised to retaliate. That is surely something the attackers have already taken into account before they carried out their strikes. The results of their military actions against the Houthi rebels inside Yemen were moderate but their political implications were very serious. Their military strikes against the Yemen Houthi marked their direct military confrontation with the Houthi rebels inside Yemen and not only above the Red Sea. A new battlefield has been just emerged result of the war between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East but there between the Houthi rebels and a military alliance comprising of the US, the UK and some others. Wars and violence, killing and destruction are expanding from the Middle East into other regions in this part of the world. It isn't any good sign and omen for quickly achieving peace, security and stability in these regions.

Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen publish a video showing how the group hijacked an Israeli-linked shipping vessel in the Red Sea on November 20, 2023. Source: X/Timesofisrael

US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tried to justify their military assaults on Yemen by arguing that the Yemen Houthi rebels threaten the free navigation on and through the Red Sea. The maritime transport route through the Red Sea is since ever extremely vital for the global supply chain and for the world economy and trade. That is true. But the Yemen Houthi rebels link their attacks on transport ships and vessels of Israel and of Israel's allies with the war in the Middle East between Hamas and Israel. They assaulted Israel militarily too. They use doing that to demonstrate their firm support for Hamas and Palestine. It was remarkable that the Yemen Houthi rebels launched for the first time strikes against US warships on the Red Sea. It marked the next and higher level of their readiness and military capabilities to challenge the US and its allies. Therefore this new battlefield would exist for long time and would push the US, the UK and their allies into a political, military and security dilemma. For them all, it was easy to enter the battlefield but very difficult to get out.

Both Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak intended to rally domestic support for their election campaigns in the US and the UK. Joe Biden seeks his re-election as US president and Rishi Sunak tries to win the coming parliamentary election. Both want to gain international recognition as defenders of free navigation on and through the Red Sea and rescuers of the world economy and trade. At the same time, they are aiming at deterring Iran whom they claim to support and mastermind the Yemen Houthi rebels, at weakening the Yemen Houthi rebels in order to support Israel.

The Houthi rebels already warned that all US and British assets have now become their “legitimate targets”. They will soon strike back. And the escalation of war-like actions by both sides will be inevitable.

For the Yemen Houthi rebels, a new battlefield is more or less a new battlefield with world- and regional political implications. For the US, the UK and their allies, as well as for Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak personally, this new battlefield will be a truly military adventure with uncertain final outcomes.

Disclaimer: The reflections expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Hanoi Times.