Pentagon announces new international mission to counter attacks on commercial vessels in Red Sea

By TARA COPP and LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — The U.S. and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the force in Bahrain early Tuesday. Under the new initiative, dubbed Prosperity Guardian, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain will protect transiting ships. Some will conduct joint patrols while others provide support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The attacks have led multiple shipping companies to order their ships to hold in place and not enter the Bab-al-Mandeb Strait until the security situation can be addressed.