By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
The Pentagon is working with allies and discussing the possibility of establishing a special multi-national Maritime Task Force in the Red Sea and throughout the Middle East to secure waterways increasingly under attack by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“This is an international problem that requires an international solution. We do continue to consult closely with our international allies and partners on implementing a maritime task force,” Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters, according to a Pentagon transcript.
What might this look like? The success of US destroyers against Houthi missiles and drones may lead Pentagon decision-makers to consider increasing its presence in the Red Sea, given that Houthi attacks are not stopping and a wide range of US, allied and commercial vessels remain under constant threat of attack.
“We are continuing to take the situation in the Red Sea extremely seriously. The actions that we’ve seen from these Houthi forces are destabilizing, they’re dangerous, and clearly a flagrant violation of international law,” Ryder said.
A Maritime Task Force could simply be a way to expand or “formalize” the US warship presence in the area, something which makes sense given the accuracy with which US Navy warships have been tracking and destroying Houthi missiles and drones with various interceptor weapons and ship defenses. A Task Force may involve new allied partners with an interest in ensuring maritime stability in the Red Sea, as many countries have a key strategic and economic reason to secure the area. The Red Sea is vital to Europe as the Suez canal connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean offers the shortest and most efficient maritime route to Asia from Europe.
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This could mean that European allies might support a maritime task force, and perhaps even US allied Arab countries opposing Iran’s proxy attack groups would support this kind of endeavor to protect their economic interests in the region. Part of this could involve an increase in US warships in the region to operate as “escorts” for vulnerable commercial vessels from allied or neutral countries transiting the Red Sea.
While Ryder did not confirm the formation of such a Task Force yet, he did say developments were underway and that the US and its allies will continue to safeguard the Red Sea.
“We do continue to patrol the international waterways throughout the region to support freedom of navigation and efforts to ensure safety, security, and stability,” he said.
The most pressing question, however, likely pertains to the question of when, or if, the US Navy might attack or counterstrike in response to continued Houthi aggression against the US and international maritime community. Not surprisingly, Ryder did not indicate anything about a possible US strike but did clearly reiterate “our military will not hesitate to take action where we deem it necessary and appropriate, including to protect against actions in the maritime domain that could threaten our forces.”
There are likely many reasons why the US Navy has defended against multiple Houthi attacks but not launched any kind of counter strike, the most evident of which is the Pentagon’s clear emphasis on “deterrence” and the desire to prevent the Israeli-Hamas conflict to widen into other parts of the region and world. A Maritime Task Force, therefore, might accomplish the need to take some kind of protective “action” without risking large-scale escalation by striking the Houthis with military force.
Kris Osborn is President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
