Japan seeking talks with Houthi hijackers of Red Sea Israeli-linked ship
Al JazeeraNOV 25 2023
The Middle East is on the edge and the actions of the US and its allies are not helping. While provocation of any kind must be avoided, the responses must also be tempered. The region can't afford a widening of conflict beyond Gaza. De-escalation is the best way to bring down tempers, and Iran is the key here. Nudging the country through diplomacy towards defusing the situation is the only way out — not a military tit-for-tat.
The Houthis, Iran's proxies, are a threat to the entire global economy as the region they exert their military influence on is crucial to international commerce. Sunday's attacks threatened ships with connections to 14 nations. The US, its allies, and the global community as a whole must robustly defend this aggression similarly to how it successfully addressed piracy in East African waters.