On Monday, Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin announced that the US will give Israel’s military more weapons and armaments as they fight Palestinian militants in Gaza after many fatal attacks.
Austin also sent a warning to Iran to “stop” arming the Huthi rebels in Yemen, who have been assaulting ships in the Red Sea more frequently since the Israel-Hamas conflict started on October 7.
“We’ll continue to provide Israel with the equipment that you need to defend your country… including critical munitions, tactical vehicles and air defence systems,” the US defence secretary said, according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office.
“In the Red Sea, we’re leading a multinational maritime taskforce to uphold the bedrock principle of freedom of navigation. Iran’s support for Huthi attacks on commercial vessels must stop,” Austin said.
He said an international coalition was being built to address the issue.
“This is an international problem, and it deserves an international response,” Austin said.
“That’s why I’m convening a meeting tomorrow, a ministerial meeting with fellow ministers in the region and beyond to address this threat,” he said, adding it would be a virtual meeting.
The Huthi rebels claimed earlier on Monday that, in support of Gaza, they had assaulted two “Israeli-linked” ships in the Red Sea.
The latest in a string of maritime events that are impeding international trade in an effort to put pressure on Israel over its war against Hamas militants are the attacks on the Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic and another ship that the Huthis have identified as the MSC Clara.