Another warning to Houthis over Red Sea attacks should not be anticipated -US official

Another warning from the United States and its allies to Houthis launching attacks against shipping in the Red Sea should not be anticipated, a senior Biden administration official said.

The official spoke after the United States and its allies released a joint statement warning of consequences should the Houthis refuse to stop their attacks.

The US, UK and ten other states have warned rebels in Yemen they will face consequences if they continue to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

In a joint statement, the group of mainly Western countries called for an immediate end to the attacks.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have declared support for Hamas in the war it launched against Israel in October.

Since November, the rebels have attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea more than 20 times.

They have used missiles, drones, fast boats and helicopters.

They have claimed – often falsely – the ships were linked to Israel.

US and British warships in the region have intercepted some missiles but they have resisted attacking targets in Yemen itself. That may be about to change.

The group of 12 states – Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK and the US – issued a formal warning to the Houthis.

They called ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea “illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilising” and said there was “no lawful justification for intentionally targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels”.

They said if the group continued to attack shipping, it would “bear the consequences”.