{"id":2146788,"date":"2024-01-11T17:07:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-11T22:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hit-the-houthis-hard\/"},"modified":"2024-01-11T17:11:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-11T22:11:51","slug":"hit-the-houthis-hard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hit-the-houthis-hard\/","title":{"rendered":"Crush the Houthis"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">6<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhit-the-houthis-hard%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2146788&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Column:\u2063 And go after\u2064 their patrons in\u200c Iran<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Houthis fly over ship (Houthi Military Media\/Handout via Reuters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<p>Since \u2064last November, \u2064Houthi terrorists operating from enclaves in northern Yemen have \u2064launched <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/yemen-houthi-rebels-red-sea-attacks-israel-f820b848eb76fa3ecc8056ca332cabae\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">26 attacks<\/a> on commercial \u2062shipping lanes in the Red Sea. The\u2064 Houthis have fired \u200ddrone \u200dswarms, cruise missiles, and anti-ship\u200c missiles. The Houthis \u200chave pirated ships. They \u200dhave\u2063 endangered lives, disrupted international trade flows, and \u200braised the cost of shipping\u2064 a container from Asia to\u200b northern Europe by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-01-04\/spot-container-shipping-rates-soar-173-on-red-sea-diversions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">173 percent<\/a>. And they have \u200dpaid no price.<\/p>\n<p>Inspired, financed, and <a href=\"https:\/\/themedialine.org\/mideast-daily-news\/report-claims-houthi-fighters-trained-in-iran\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trained<\/a> by the Iranian\u2062 revolutionary regime, the Houthis have given America the bird. They flout any pretense of international law.\u2063 Despite propaganda to \u200dthe contrary, the \u200bHouthis are\u200d not a legitimate state actor. They have \u200bno serious grievance or ideological cause. Their claim \u200bto act \u200din \u200csolidarity with Palestinians is a crock. \u2063Even \u2064if they were sincere, it wouldn&#8217;t justify their onslaught. The Houthis are a terrorist \u2062gang,\u2062 and if they are not stopped, then \u2062the toll they exact in blood and treasure will grow.<\/p>\n<p>How\u2063 to stop them?\u2062 First, tell President Biden that his strategy to contain the Houthis is not working. At \u2062this \u200dwriting, he has done the \u200bbare minimum to respond to their\u200c challenge to\u2062 the global\u200c commons. Last year, when \u200cthis latest wave of violence began, \u200dBiden and his national\u200d security team did nothing but order U.S. naval assets to intercept the Houthi barrages.\u2063 The Houthis kept firing.<\/p>\n<p>Then, in \u2064mid-December, \u2063the United \u200dStates announced that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/more-than-20-countries-now-part-us-led-red-sea-coalition-pentagon-2023-12-21\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">an international coalition<\/a> would protect commercial transport. Toward the end of the\u2063 year, the Treasury Department <a href=\"https:\/\/home.treasury.gov\/news\/press-releases\/jy2014\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sanctioned<\/a> one of the Houthis&#8217; Iranian fixers. Neither the display of multilateralism\u200d nor the financial \u200cthreat stopped the Houthis. On New Year&#8217;s Eve, U.S. forces \u200ddestroyed \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/news.usni.org\/2023\/12\/31\/u-s-navy-helo-crews-kill-houthi-assault-boat-teams-after-red-sea-attack\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">four\u200b Houthi<\/a> small boats attempting \u2064to hijack a container ship. This\u2064 act of self-defense also failed to restore deterrence.<\/p>\n<p>Biden\u200c went \u2062to the United \u200bNations. Maybe, if\u2062 the\u2063 so-called international\u2062 community condemned the Houthis&#8217; malign behavior, Iran and its proxy would think twice before the next assault. \u200cAnd maybe the \u2064sea will turn to pink lemonade.<\/p>\n<p>On January 10, a few \u2063hours before the U.N. passed a resolution calling\u2064 on the\u200d Houthis to quit it, the \u200bmilitia launched its most sophisticated offensive to date. U.S. and U.K. ships and planes knocked out 18 bomb-carrying drones and 3 missiles launched from Houthi\u2064 territory. \u2064Secretary of State\u200d Antony Blinken, visiting Bahrain, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/01\/10\/world\/middleeast\/houthis-red-sea-us-response.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a>, &#8220;There&#8217;ll be consequences for the Houthis&#8217; actions.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Note Blinken&#8217;s \u2064use of the\u2064 future continuous tense. \u2064It&#8217;s diplomatic code for <em>woulda, coulda, shoulda<\/em>. His promised consequences are long past \u200cdue.\u200d Of course \u200cthe Houthis\u2062 have\u2063 increased their attacks. Their harassment hasn&#8217;t been punished. It has been ignored, evaded, swept under\u2062 the rug.<\/p>\n<p>Why? Because the administration is fearful. It is overburdened by wars in Ukraine and Gaza, threats from Iranian proxies in Syria and Iraq, a migrant crisis on \u2064the\u200d U.S. southern border, shortfalls in weapons stocks, and\u2062 threats \u2064from China and North Korea. It worries that a clash with \u2062the Houthis\u200c might lead to direct \u2062conflict with Iran. It hears \u2063from the Saudis that retaliation could unravel the fragile ceasefire in Yemen and cause the Houthis to resume their \u2063attacks \u200bon the\u2064 Kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>As happened \u200bin Ukraine, Biden&#8217;s attempt \u200bto avoid\u2062 escalation has given the adversary the upper hand. Biden is self-deterred. He&#8217;s allowed the Houthis to\u2062 take the initiative. They choose the time \u2064and location of their strikes. They crow about their victories. Their evil achievements give \u2062them a sense of \u00e9lan. They feel the \u2063wind at their backs.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s shake their confidence. By\u200c the \u2062time you read these words, Biden may have \u2063authorized strikes against Houthi encampments and missile sites on the Arabian peninsula. It would be the right move. With this proviso: Limited and proportional \u200dstrikes on materiel would\u2063 not go \u2063far enough. The\u200b enemy doesn&#8217;t appreciate the nuances\u2062 of &#8220;proportionality.&#8221; It cowers at\u2014and it is incapacitated by\u2014disproportionate responses.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2063 hit the Houthis hard on \u2063several fronts. Go after \u200ctheir camps and munitions and boats, for sure. But also\u200c restore the Houthis to \u2062the \u200blist of Foreign Terrorist Organizations,\u2063 from which the Biden administration <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/show\/in-foreign-policy-shift-biden-lifts-terrorist-designation-for-houthis-in-yemen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">removed them<\/a> in 2021. And\u200d follow the advice of my AEI colleagues Kenneth Pollack and \u2064Katherine Zimmerman. &#8220;The U.S. needs to begin military support to the\u200b Yemeni government,&#8221; they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/washington-cant-let-the-houthis-take-yemen-red-sea-shipping-attack-iran-1dc77a19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">write<\/a> in the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>, because &#8220;that is the\u200d only way to ensure the Houthis won&#8217;t \u200bconsolidate their grip on the country and be able to project more \u2064power abroad.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>This strategy would require Biden \u200bto abandon the illusion\u200c that the \u200dHouthis are rational diplomatic\u200b actors interested in a peaceful\u200c settlement with the Yemeni government. It would require \u200cthe fortitude to allay the concerns \u200cof the Saudis and\u2063 Emiratis. \u200dAbove all, it would\u2062 require the administration to recognize that America and her\u2062 allies are under sustained assault from Iran and its proxies and must act accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s \u200da hard \u2063lift with this crew. Yet continuing the present course will result in more chaos and\u2062 economic pain, an emboldened Iran, and the further erosion of American power. \u2064Russia, China, and Iran feel, with some justification, that America is\u2064 a helpless\u2062 giant whose days as\u200d a superpower are numbered. \u200cWe need to change that perception. Change starts\u2064 by putting the Houthis in their place\u2014and Iran on the\u2063 defensive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What specific steps should be taken\u2063 to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/interview-with-ukraines-former-economic-minister-how-much-will-it-cost-to-defeat-russia-and-rebuild-ukraine\/\" title=\"Interview With Ukraine\u2019s Former Economic Minister: How Much Will It Cost to Defeat Russia and Rebuild Ukraine?\">impose stricter sanctions<\/a> on Iran and its\u200b supporters of the Houthi terrorist organization, to \u2063weaken their financial resources and isolate them \u200bpolitically \u2062and diplomatically?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  , however, caution must be exercised to prevent \u2064unintended consequences and the further escalation \u2062of conflicts in the region.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to military actions, the international community must also take a united stand \u200cagainst the Houthis and their Iranian backers. The United Nations, regional organizations,\u200c and key global powers should impose stricter sanctions on Iran and those who support\u2062 the Houthi terrorist organization. This will not only weaken their\u2062 financial resources but also isolate them politically \u2062and diplomatically. The message needs to be clear: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-gave-go-ahead-for-vicious-hamas-terror-attack-against-israel-report\/\" title=\"Iran approved Hamas terror attack on Israel: Report\">state-sponsored \u2063terrorism<\/a> will\u2064 not be tolerated.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, efforts should be made to expose and counter the\u200d propaganda and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/al-sharptons-group-nicki-minaj-uninformed-spread-false-information\/\" title=\"Al Sharpton\u2019s Group: Nicki Minaj \u2018Uninformed,\u2019 Spread \u2018False Information\u2019\">false narratives spread<\/a> by the Houthis. Their claims\u200b of fighting \u2063for the Palestinian\u200d cause\u2062 are baseless, and their actions only cause harm \u2064and suffering. Defeating their ideology and undermining their\u2062 recruitment efforts will require a coordinated effort in the \u2063realms of media, education, and diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p>A sustainable \u200csolution to the Houthi threat requires broader \u2064regional engagement. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt have a vested interest in countering Iranian influence and \u200bsecuring stability\u200c in the \u200cregion. By collaborating with these nations and leveraging their expertise, the international community can better support Yemeni forces \u200dfighting against the Houthis and \u200dcontribute to a lasting \u200dpeace in Yemen.<\/p>\n<p>The time for half-hearted responses and \u200cempty promises is over. The international community must show resolve\u2063 and determination in dealing with the Houthi\u2063 terrorist organization. Failure to do so will \u200conly embolden them and allow the cycle of violence and instability to continue. It is imperative that action\u2063 is taken now to protect innocent lives, safeguard international \u2062trade, and uphold the\u2063 principles of\u2062 peace and security.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea cannot \u2064go unanswered. The international community must address this \u2063threat head-on by increasing pressure on Iran and its \u200cproxies, supporting military action when necessary, countering Houthi propaganda, and engaging regional \u200bpartners. Only through a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-orders-l-a-to-offer-housing-to-homeless-population-on-skid-row-says-city-and-county-created-a-legacy-of-entrenched-structural-racism\/\" title=\"Judge Orders L.A. To Offer Housing To Homeless Population On Skid Row, Says City And County \u2018Created A Legacy Of Entrenched Structural Racism\u2019\">multi-faceted approach<\/a> can the Houthis be effectively challenged and the security\u2063 of \u200cthe region \u2063restored.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>26 attacks on commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea since November. Using drone swarms, cruise missiles, and anti-ship missiles, Houthi terrorists from northern Yemen have targeted vessels. Their piracy extends to targeting patrons in Iran. (Image: Houthi Military Media\/Handout via Reuters)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":222,"featured_media":2146789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2146788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2146788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/222"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2146788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2146788\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2146789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2146788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2146788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2146788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}