Strikes against the Houthis in Yemen are bringing Britain and America closer to open confrontation with Iran, says Dominic Wagorn.
United States and British forces struck more than 60 targets in 16 Houthi militant locations in Yemen on the night of Friday, January 12. The attack was a major response after the Iran-backed militant group launched drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The disruption of shipping routes by the Houthis led to disruption of international trade, so, as explained in London and Washington, they were forced to protect the carriers, not least for economic reasons, of course. At the same time, increasing the Red Sea can be counterproductive and dangerous; why more than the story.
Danger from the Houthis
The UK and US have chosen a rather risky option that may not work and will make the situation worse, said Sky News international affairs editor Dominic Wagorn.
“Will these attacks stop the Houthis? Ask the Saudis. For eight years they have tried to use military force to control and restrain them, but to no avail,” the expert wrote.
news.sky.com
He said the Houthis are an agile, decisive and resilient fighting force in Yemen’s deserts. And their weapons deployed against international shipping are mobile.
“It’s not like hitting conventional Arab forces like Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War. Their guerrilla fighters will likely outgrow the air campaign to destroy them,” Wagorn said.
Therefore, the Houthis are likely to increase their activity with the support of Iran, and this will lead to attacks in places that Western militaries did not think of, the expert added.
War with Iran
The biggest concern is that military intervention brings Britain and America closer to confrontation with Iran, as they are fighting Tehran’s allies directly. And the main task of current Western military operations is simply deterrence.
Most likely, according to the expert, Iran will remain on the sidelines for now, playing “jokes” and using its allies in the regional conflict. But in such confrontations, the laws of unintended consequences always apply, Wagorn added, and do not rule out a direct armed conflict between Britain and the United States against Iran.
“Miscalculations and mistakes can lead to escalation and take events in unexpected directions. And there is always the risk that another armed group, like Hezbollah, will move from disputes with Israel to a full-fledged war on their common border,” the expert. wrote.
Is the attack necessary now?
The Houthis officially said their attacks in the Red Sea were a sign of protest against Israel’s offensive in Gaza and the deaths of thousands of Palestinians there. A ceasefire in Gaza would likely prevent them from attacking ships and launching cruise missiles targeting Israel.
news.sky.com
At the same time, as Wagorn notes, the British and Americans insist that Israel has the right to continue fighting until Hamas is neutralized, even as they are increasingly concerned about the excessive number of civilians killed.
Britain and America also insist that today’s strikes are only aimed at making the Red Sea safe again.
“But this is not how millions in the region see it. In their view, Western countries are now using military force to support Israel and allow it to continue to advance in Gaza. There is still no clear idea from Israel when their military objectives “The war in Gaza is endless, and its consequences are becoming more serious in the region. The “contagion” is unlikely to end there,” the expert summed up.
Note that Vagorn’s position has been confirmed. Today, the Houthis said they would continue to attack ships in the Red Sea and respond to overnight strikes by the US and Britain. Their spokesman called the Western attack “unjustified terrorist aggression.” There were also reports of retaliation at a US base in Syria.
New Correspondent.net on Telegram and WhatsApp. Subscribe to our channels Athletistic and WhatsApp
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.