Despite the Biden administration concerted efforts to contain the Israel Hamas conflict within the region, Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, are persistently launching attacks in the Red Sea. U.S. officials report that the rebels targeted three civilian vessels with drone attacks on Sunday, leading to a response from the USS Carney. Subsequently, on Wednesday, the USS Mason intercepted and downed another attack.
“We will take the necessary actions to safeguard our forces,” emphasized Pentagon Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder during discussions with reporters this week.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Saudi Arabia has been actively urging the White House to exercise restraint and avoid escalating the situation, as reported by Reuters.
The Biden administration might be cautious about escalating its response to Houthi attacks, as it could potentially disrupt the delicate status quo in Yemen. Last year, a truce between Iranian-backed rebels and a Saudi-led coalition concluded, and although the truce has generally held, there may be concerns about reigniting tensions by taking further action. the Biden administration
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Bruce Riedel, a former CIA analyst and senior advisor on South Asia and the Middle East to four presidents, asserted that Saudi Arabia has a vested interest in maintaining simmering tensions in Yemen. According to Riedel, this approach allows Saudi Arabia to preserve a certain image on the global stage. the Israel Hamas conflict
“The Saudis don’t want to burn any bridges anymore. That’s why they resumed ties with Iran. That’s why they have looked to end the war in Yemen,” he told The Daily Beast. “They saw themselves three years ago in a very perilous situation. They were bogged down in a very expensive war in Yemen, which they had no hopes of winning and which was creating the image of a Saudi bully.”
The Biden administration is likely to be receptive to these overtures from Saudi Arabia, said Riedel.
“The ceasefire in Yemen is to a certain degree a Joe Biden success story. His foreign policy in general does not have a whole lot of success stories,” Riedel said.
Deliberations about how to handle the Houthis come as the United States works to curb the Israel-Hamas war from spiraling across borders. In addition to Israel and Hamas exchanging fire, Israeli forces have been skirmishing with Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, raising the prospect that Iran’s financing and support to Hezbollah sparks a greater standoff. And with tensions high as Houthi attacks continue to rain down on the Red Sea, the region threatens to explode into even further chaos with a single misstep.