Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are idling car factories and delaying new fashion. Will it get worse?
Associated PressFEB 2 2024
Houthis Claim Fresh Attacks on Red Sea Shipping
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The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While the Houthis may say that their reasons for targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea are motivated by a self-sacrificing desire to end the Israel-Hamas war, the truth is that this aggression is an opportunistic power-grab meant to improve their own international and domestic standing, as well as distract from the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The group has banked on Western aversion to conflict, but retaliatory strikes are a powerful way of deterring these attacks from happening again.
Establishment-critical narrative
It should have become clear by now that strikes will not sway the Houthis from their pro-Palestinian stance, nor will they stop the attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. In fact, military escalation can only make the situation worse, as the Houthis stand steadfast in their support of Gaza and will continue these attacks as acts of solidarity. Given that restoring stability in the Red Sea depends entirely on Israel halting its offensive on the enclave, Washington and London must push for a cease-fire in Gaza instead of fueling tensions in the Middle East.