Listen to the article
Against the backdrop of tensions in the Red Sea, resulting from the Gaza conflict, American and British airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen are raising concerns about a potential escalation in the region. Riad Kahwaji, a security and defense analyst in the Middle East, provides an exclusive analysis of the situation in an interview with This is Beirut.
In the early hours of Friday, Americans and British forces carried out a series of airstrikes against Houthi-controlled Yemen, resulting in 5 deaths and 6 injuries, according to a spokesperson for Sanaa. These airstrikes come amid increasing tensions in the Red Sea. Over the past few weeks, the Houthis, claiming to act in solidarity with the Palestinians, have been targeting merchant ships in this strategic region, which represented 12% of global trade before the onset of the Gaza war on October 7 last year.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak justified the airstrikes as “necessary and proportionate,” while US President Joe Biden considered them a “defensive action.” In his exclusive interview with This is Beirut, Riad Kahwaji analyzes the situation and provides insights into the regional dynamics.
This is Beirut: Are Friday’s strikes against the Houthis a sign of a significant escalation?
Riad Kahwaji: “This strike was expected and the US and UK issued repeated warnings and waited for a UNSC resolution condemning Houthi attacks and demanding the cessation of these attacks on the ships. It was a large scale strike of many targets. We will likely see more strikes if the Houthis continue threatening the ships. If Houthis target US and UK bases in the region we could see the widening of this military conflict.”
TIB: What role does Iran play in this crisis in the Red Sea?
RK: “Iran will sit on the side and watch a crisis it helped instigate escalate, hoping to benefit from it at some stage. The Iranians get their proxies to instigate and escalate and then they come in offering services to end the conflict in return for political gains.”
TIB: Do the Houthis have the capacity to maintain pressure in the Red Sea?
RK: “Yes, and with the ballistic missiles and some of the drones in their arsenal they can take it further. I can only add that the Western countries that have the vested interest and the capability have already joined the US-led alliance in the Red Sea. It is possible others could join. We have to wait,”
