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<div class="gmail-inner-article-top"><h1 class="gmail-">Yemen's Indian Ocean checkmate</h1><p class="gmail-">Ansarallah
has single-handedly disrupted global shipping power dynamics. Yemen is
launching attacks against Israeli-linked vessels deep into the Indian
Ocean to cut off the last waterway route to the occupation state.</p><div class="gmail-another-name"><br><p><a href="https://thecradle.co/authors/khalil-harb" style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">Khalil Harb</a></p></div><div class="gmail-another-name" style="margin-top:16px"><p><span>MAR 21, 2024 - </span><font size="1"><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/yemens-indian-ocean-checkmate">https://thecradle.co/articles/yemens-indian-ocean-checkmate</a></font></p></div></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-img"><img src="http://thecradle-main.oss-eu-central-1.aliyuncs.com/public/articles/4be200e4-e79c-11ee-a5c9-00163e02c055.jpeg" alt="" width="395" height="187" style="margin-right: 0px;"><span>(Photo Credit: The Cradle)</span></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-content"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col-md-8 gmail-col-sm-7"><div class="gmail-article-content"><span><blockquote><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Our
people are ready to send hundreds of thousands of mujahideen to
Palestine. Okay, geography might pose a problem. It could be a problem
for our people to go there in large numbers. Nevertheless, and despite
all the obstacles, we will not hesitate to do whatever we can. We are
completely coordinated with our brothers in the Jihad and resistance
front to do anything and everything that we can do.</span></p></blockquote><p style="text-align:right"><span style="color:rgb(77,77,77)"><i>– Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, 10 October 2023</i></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Since
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's proclamation three days after the launch of the
Palestinian resistance's 7 October Al-Aqsa Flood Operation, Yemen's
Ansarallah movement, under his leadership, has undergone a remarkable
transformation. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Ansarallah's maritime reach has surpassed all initial expectations, now extending to the distant shores of the </span><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/23904"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">Indian Ocean</span></a><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)"> in its ambitious plan to besiege Israel by targeting the occupation state's shipping interests. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Yemen's
strategic position not only serves as a beacon of hope for Palestinians
enduring Israel's brutal military assault on their lives, homes, and
livelihoods but has also become a crucial pillar in the Axis of
Resistance's fight against US hegemonic machinations in West Asia.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">In
late February, al-Houthi vowed to expand the scope of attacks against
Israel-linked vessels, stating, "We have surprises that the enemies do
not expect at all," before announcing the successful testing of a new </span><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/23887"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">hypersonic missile</span></a><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">This
stands in stark contradiction to western narratives trumpeting their
own containment efforts to encircle Yemen and thwart its ability to
intercept Israel-bound vessels. If anything, the naval operations
undertaken by the Ansarallah-aligned armed forces are instead rippling
outward, spanning a remarkable distance of over 6,000 kilometers from
the Yemeni coast to the Indian Ocean.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)"><strong>Failure of 'Prosperity Guardian' </strong></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Crucially,
Yemen's defiance has drawn widespread, popular support from its
once-warring nationals, not just in support of Gaza and the Israeli
blockade but also against the relentless </span><a href="https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/17/722023/US,-Britain-launch-new-airstrikes-against-targets-in-Yemen%E2%80%99s-Ta%E2%80%99izz,-Hudaydah"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">US and British airstrikes</span></a><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)"> launched under the fig leaf of Operation '</span><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/16852"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">Prosperity Guardian</span></a><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">'
– an extrajudicial imperial project which aims to cripple Ansarallah's
military capabilities under the guise of securing international shipping
and trade routes.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Yet
al-Houthi's unequivocal declaration on barring the passage of ships
associated with Israel, or those engaged in commercial ties with it,
from traversing the Indian Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope shows that
Washington and London have been dealt a resounding strategic defeat.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">By
targeting these two new critical waterway passages, Yemen imposes a new
reality on global shipping routes. This phase of the naval battle
presents a significant threat to the world's established maritime
corridors, compelling commercial vessels traveling to and from Southeast
Asia to navigate lengthier and more costly routes around the southern
tip of Africa to reach the Mediterranean Sea.</span></p><img src="http://thecradle-main.oss-eu-central-1.aliyuncs.com/public/articles_media/c8ff8bbc-e799-11ee-b47d-00163e02c055.png" width="395" height="360" style="margin-right: 25px;"><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)"><strong>Iran's partner, not a proxy</strong></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Al-Houthi's
message is clear: "Do the Americans, British, and the Zionists expect
that any aggressive act against Yemen will distract us from defending
Gaza?" Ansarallah recently announced the targeting of over 70 commercial
ships with ties to Israel, alongside military battleships across the
Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Moreover, Yemen's stance challenges western reports of </span><a href="https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240314-us-held-secret-talks-with-iran-in-oman-to-halt-houthi-red-sea-attacks/"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">secret talks</span></a><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)"> brokered
by Oman between the US and Iran, purportedly aimed at containing the
conflict, preventing it from spreading further from the 'Yemeni front.' </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Despite
Washington's announcement that it has released $10 billion in frozen
Iranian funds and its ferocious intimidation and enticement maneuvers
behind the scenes, Sanaa's strategic move towards the Indian Ocean
should dismiss any rumors about an impending 'US–Iran deal.' </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Instead
of acquiescing to US pressure, Tehran is working to maintain stability
and avert all-out war through its 'support fronts' in Iraq, Syria,
Lebanon, and Yemen. The escalation in Yemen poses a greater regional
challenge, overshadowing any </span><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/21328"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">temporary truces in Iraq</span></a><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)"> </span><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">by some factions.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">While
the Biden administration attempts to portray its diplomatic efforts as
successes, particularly through indirect negotiations with Tehran and
plans to build a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza, the situation in
Yemen remains a humiliating inconvenience for a White House heading into
an election cycle. This comes against the backdrop of a White House
also frantically trying to manage the Iraqi and Lebanese arenas, which
are equally pushing back against US hegemonic interests.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">As the spokesman for the Iraqi resistance Al-Nujaba movement, Dr Hussein al-Musawi, tells <i>The Cradle</i>:</span></p><blockquote><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Our
principles are clear and firm regarding the American presence on Iraqi
soil, which is a complete exit without any interference in our
political, economic, and other affairs; ending its control over the
aspects of Iraq's politics; and liberating its land and wealth; and
political and economic independence.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)"><strong>Economic ramifications for Israel </strong></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Sanaa's
strategic maneuvering in the Red Sea–Gulf of Aden–Indian Ocean corridor
not only poses a distraction for US and British naval forces but also
presents unforeseen challenges. While US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin
was in Israel after announcing his 'Guardian of Prosperity' operation,
the Yemeni resistance was busy adding millions of square kilometers to
their area of missile confrontation. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">The
12 percent of global trade passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait has
already suffered a blow to the core. The resulting disruptions,
including increased shipping costs and insurance premiums, are
anticipated to fuel inflation and potentially paralyze Israeli ports
such as Eilat and decrease traffic in Haifa. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">While the full extent of damage to Israel's foreign trade remains unclear, initial estimates suggested losses exceeding </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-27/israel-extends-rate-pause-as-currency-rallies-despite-war-shocks"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">$180 billion</span></a><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">, considering pre-existing trade figures from 2022.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)"><strong>Yemen's growing naval capabilities </strong></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Simultaneously,
the question arises: how will the 'Guardian of Prosperity' forces,
previously tasked with monitoring just the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden
to counter Yemeni missile threats, manage the vast expansion required to
monitor the thousands of ships traversing to and from the Cape of Good
Hope across the Indian Ocean? </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">While
the US and UK do not reveal the number of naval vessels assigned to
their almost impossible mission, numbers circulating claim the
participation of several US battleships, including the USS Laboon, USS
Carney, and USS Mason – and from the British, the destroyer HM Diamond.
Greece is estimated to have one frigate involved, France contributes
naval vessels under US command, and Italy claims to have a frigate that
operates outside the operation's banner. Although the coalition publicly
announced the inclusion of more than twenty countries in its mission,
the actual naval commitment from its members appears negligible.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Furthermore,
it's hard not to notice the fundamental inefficiencies inherent to the
western naval operation: the US "is launching</span><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)"> </span><a href="https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4501958-houthi-fight-pentagon-cost/"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">$2 million defense</span><span style="color:rgb(74,110,224)"> </span><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">missiles</span></a><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)"> to
stop $2,000 Houthi drones." It was no surprise then when a Pentagon
spokesman acknowledged a few days ago that despite ongoing western
strikes on Yemen, Ansarallah's capabilities have not been undermined.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">And
then Abdul-Malik al-Houthi comes along and adds the Indian Ocean to the
US' horror scenario with an area exceeding 70 million square
kilometers.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Ali al-Qahum
of Ansarallah's Political Bureau characterizes this expansion as a
"shocking and unexpected surprise" for the resistance's adversaries. At
the same time, it amplifies Yemen's globally strategic significance as a
military force – one that can successfully execute a comprehensive
siege on Israel. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">It is
not clear whether the announcement of including the Indian Ocean in the
Yemeni naval operations is related to the tests of the </span><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/asia/us-tests-hypersonic-missile-pacific-guam-intl-hnk-ml/index.html"><span style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">hypersonic missile</span></a><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">.
It would make Yemen one of only a small handful of nations to possess
this unique military capability – Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(14,16,26)">Regardless,
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's ability to take the enemy by surprise showcases
Yemen's capacity to disrupt established power dynamics, particularly in
the West Asian region. By supporting Gaza unequivocally, the Yemeni
front within the Resistance Axis is further diminishing US influence
amid the waves of the Indian Ocean, unless a lasting ceasefire is
imposed in Gaza. </span></p></span></div></div></div></div>
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