US announces 10-nation force to counter Houthi attacks in Red Sea

Subject : IR

Section: Places in news

Context:

More about the news:

The U.S. and several other nations have initiated a new force, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to protect ships in the Red Sea that are under attack by drones and ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
The attacks have led to shipping companies ordering their vessels to hold in place.
The new multinational security initiative aims to provide collective action against the attacks.
Operation Prosperity Guardian will not necessarily escort specific vessels but will offer umbrella protection to as many ships as possible in the southern Red Sea.
The U.K, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain have joined the maritime security mission.
China, despite having warships in the region, is notably absent.
The new initiative will be coordinated by the existing Combined Task Force 153, established in April 2022 to enhance maritime security in the region.
The U.S. has also called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against the Houthi attacks on commercial vessels.

What is Combined Task Force 153:

Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153) is a task force that focuses on maritime security and capacity building in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden.
It was established on April 17, 2022, and is one of five task forces operated by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)

What is Combined Maritime Forces (CMF):

Who are the Houthis:

The Houthis are a large Zaidi Shia clan that began a movement against the dictatorship of Ali Abdullah Saleh in the 1990s.
Today, they are a faction in the bloody civil war that has raged in Yemen since 2014.
The Houthis are backed by Iran and control territory in the west and northwest of Yemen, including the capital Sana’a.
They are fighting against the Sunni-led internationally recognised Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.