Joe Biden gave the order on January 1 to prepare operational plans for the raids conducted Last night against Houthi rebel targets in response to their attacks27 since last November 19, against commercial ships on the Red Sea. This was reported by administration sources, explaining that “on the morning of New Year's Day, following yet another attack on a commercial ship, the Danish Maersk Hangzhou, and the direct intervention of US forces to repel it, the US president gathered his team national security to discuss options.”
“In the meeting, Biden gave instructions to further develop military options if necessary”, underlining however that he wanted to first give “a final notice”, something done with the joint statement with which two days later, on January 3, the The US and 13 other countries, including Italy, threatened consequences for the Houthis if the attacks did not stop.
Lloyd Austin's hospitalization
It must be remembered that on January 1st the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, was hospitalized in intensive care due to complications from surgery for prostate cancer, without giving official communications to the White House and Biden until January 4th. And the leadership of the Pentagon, at this time of planning a military operation, passed for a few days to deputy Kathleen Hicks, who in turn was on vacation in Puerto Rico.
In a clear defiance of the January 3 ultimatum, “the largest Houthi attack on the Red Sea arrives last Tuesday, with nearly 20 drones and three missiles shot down by US and UK naval forces in a direct attack on an American commercial vessel”. At this point, the administration sources explain, “the president convened the national security team again and was presented with military options for a collective response with his closest partners.”
“At the end of the meeting, the president gave orders to Secretary Austin to lead the response that led to tonight's raids,” the sources add, referring to the Pentagon chief who is still hospitalized, from where he issued a statement in which he emphasizes that the objective of the operation was “to disrupt and degrade the capabilities of the Houthis”. This is the third significant military operation conducted by the US since Austin became ill.
The White House specifies that the “collective action” was conducted by the United States and the United Kingdom with Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Bahrain that they “provided additional support”, with the Pentagon clarifying that these countries had no operational role.
In the operation, Pentagon sources specify, air and naval forces were used, including submarines and “precision munitions were used to destroy the targets to minimize collateral damage”. “We absolutely did not target centers with civilian populations”, assure Pentagon sources.
The targets hit were radars and facilities used to store and launch drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, add the sources who consider the damage inflicted on the capabilities of the Houthi rebels to be “significant”. Although, the sources add, “we would not be surprised to see some sort of response” from the rebels who have Iran as their main sponsor, which provides them with the capabilities and intelligence to conduct attacks in the Red Sea.
“I will not pre-empt any of our future actions, but suffice it to say that we hold Iran accountable for its role with the Houthis and other groups that have conducted attacks against US forces in the region,” concludes the Biden administration official, underlining that “The President will not hesitate to order other measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce if necessary.”
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