Washington, 19 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The United States on Monday announced a new multinational security initiative to counter an increasing number of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the new initiative, called Operation Prosperity Guardian, will "address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with the goal of ensuring freedom of navigation for all countries and bolstering regional security and prosperity."

Countries including Britain, France, Italy and Norway will join the mission, Austin said in a statement. "This is an international challenge that demands collective action," he said. The alliance is also to include Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Gulf state Bahrain and the Indian Ocean nation the Seychelles.

Meanwhile, according to the US military, there have been renewed attacks by Houthi rebels on two ships in the southern Red Sea.

The Cayman Islands-flagged tanker Swan Atlantic was attacked on Monday by a drone and a missile fired from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Around the same time, the freighter M/V Clara reported an explosion in the water in its vicinity. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked Israel with drones and missiles and have attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea to prevent them from travelling towards Israel.

The rebels have declared ships of any nationality travelling to Israel to be a "legitimate target" of their forces until the Gaza Strip receives the food and medicine it needs.

Major shipping companies have suspended shipments on the route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal due to security concerns.

"The recent escalation in reckless Houthi attacks originating from Yemen threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law," said Austin, who is currently in the Middle East.

"Countries that seek to uphold the foundational principle of freedom of navigation must come together to tackle the challenge posed by this non-state actor," he added.

The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, making it the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe. Around 10% of all global trade passes through it. The alternative route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa adds around two weeks to transportation times.

Photo: MIA archive