US Forms Multinational Naval Force to Confront Houthi Attacks, Smuggling

The new naval task force of up to eight vessels is the latest US military response to the Houthi attacks (AP)
The new naval task force of up to eight vessels is the latest US military response to the Houthi attacks (AP)
TT
20

US Forms Multinational Naval Force to Confront Houthi Attacks, Smuggling

The new naval task force of up to eight vessels is the latest US military response to the Houthi attacks (AP)
The new naval task force of up to eight vessels is the latest US military response to the Houthi attacks (AP)

A US Navy official announced the formation of a new multinational naval task force to respond to Houthi attacks on regional countries, target arms smuggling, and people and drugs trafficking.

The initiative comes amid strained relations between some Gulf countries and the United States against Iran, which Washington and the UN accuse of inflaming the crisis in Yemen and supplying the Houthis with weapons to attack Yemenis and target infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The US Navy said Wednesday that it is establishing a new multinational task force that would target arms smuggling in the waters around Yemen, the latest American military response to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE, following the missile and drone attacks on the Gulf nations.

Fifth Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said that the task force would ensure a force presence and deterrent posture in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and the Gulf of Aden and target human trafficking, drug, and other illicit goods smuggling.

Cooper explained on a call with reporters and quoted by Reuters that "these are strategically important waters that warrant our attention," adding that the new naval task force would consist of between two and eight vessels and is part of the 34-nation Combined Maritime Forces, which he also commands, that has three other task forces in nearby waters targeting smuggling and piracy.

Asked about the air raids from Yemen on US partners Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Cooper said the task force would impact the Houthi's ability to obtain the weaponry needed for such attacks, saying “we'll be able to do it more vibrantly and more directly than we do today."

A US official told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, that the waters between Somalia, Djibouti, and Yemen were well-known "smuggling paths" for weapons destined for the Houthis.

Iran has long been accused of smuggling weapons to the Houthis, a charge it denies, but the US provided evidence of Iran's involvement in arms supplies to the Houthis, providing logistical support and military training to them is sufficient.

Last month, the Fifth Fleet announced the outcomes of the defense dialogue and meetings between the US and the Gulf Cooperation Council, as the participants agreed to develop a "common defense vision" in the region to "deter air and maritime threats" done by Iran and its militias.

A statement by the US Ministry of Defense (Pentagon), by spokeswoman Cindi King, stated that the meeting that Washington held with Gulf counterparts in Riyadh stressed the importance of strengthening the ability of the GCC countries to collectively address these threats affirming the longstanding defense partnership.

The countries reaffirmed a shared commitment to regional security under the framework of the GCC-US Strategic Partnership.

An official at the US Defense Department told Asharq Al-Awsat earlier that the US was committed to bolstering Saudi Arabia's security against "dangerous external threats." He explained that defense cooperation was ongoing with Riyadh, as was the transfer of weapons, defense trade, training, and other exchanges.

The United States pledged on various occasions to continue providing Saudi Arabia with the necessary means to defend its territories and repel attacks carried out by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen.

At the same time, it has demanded an immediate end to the war in Yemen and urged against targeting civilians and infrastructure in neighboring countries.



Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Egypt to Counter Any Threat to Its Water Security 

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). (Getty Images/AFP file)
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). (Getty Images/AFP file)
TT
20

Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Egypt to Counter Any Threat to Its Water Security 

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). (Getty Images/AFP file)
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). (Getty Images/AFP file)

Egypt has warned it will take “necessary measures” to protect its historical rights to Nile waters, following new statements by Ethiopian officials that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is only the beginning of a wider dam-building plan.

A senior Egyptian official, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, said Cairo remains committed to securing a binding agreement that regulates current and future projects on the Nile and its tributaries.

“Egypt will act to safeguard its water security in line with international law and treaties governing transboundary rivers,” the official said.

“We have always known Ethiopia has broader ambitions beyond the GERD. That’s why we’ve insisted from the beginning on a binding agreement, not only to limit the harm from GERD but to regulate any future projects as well.”

He added that Egypt considers Nile water a matter of national survival and would “resist any threat with full force.” Cairo is closely monitoring whether Ethiopia’s new dam plans will involve the Nile or other river systems, he said. “Each case will be assessed accordingly.”

The comments came after Ethiopia’s GERD Coordination Office head, Aregawi Berhe, told local media on Wednesday that the dam was “only the first step” in the country’s strategy for water and energy development.

“We cannot rely on just one dam,” he said, calling for additional projects to support agriculture, which he described as the backbone of Ethiopia’s economy and food security.

Berhe also said the GERD was built entirely with domestic funding, pushing back on earlier remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting American financial involvement.

'Vital lifeline’

Egyptian lawmaker Mostafa Bakry described the Ethiopian statements as “provocative” and accused Addis Ababa of seeking to impose a fait accompli, despite ongoing deadlock over the GERD negotiations.

“Ethiopia is treating the GERD as a closed chapter and is now openly discussing what comes next,” Bakry said. “Cairo has known from the start that Ethiopia wants to build dozens of dams under the pretext of development and agriculture. But the real goal is to control the river and limit Egypt’s water supply.”

“This is an existential matter for Egypt,” he warned. “We will not tolerate threats to our survival. Ethiopia must reconsider its course before the situation escalates.”

Ethiopia’s latest declarations come amid renewed international attention on the Nile dispute, following comments by Trump expressing concern over the dam’s potential impact on Egypt. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed the remarks and reiterated his country’s reliance on US mediation to broker a final agreement.

Earlier this month, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the completion of GERD construction and set September as the date for its official inauguration, inviting Egypt and Sudan to attend. Cairo swiftly rejected the call, denouncing what it sees as Ethiopia’s continued unilateralism on Nile issues.

Skepticism

Egyptian water and Africa expert Dr. Raafat Mahmoud dismissed Ethiopia’s justification that future dams would support agriculture. “Most of Ethiopia’s terrain is unsuitable for conventional irrigation. It’s a rugged highland that relies on rainfall,” he said. “Even GERD was completed with great difficulty and at high financial cost. Additional dams will face the same hurdles.”

He argued that Ethiopia’s ambitions are driven less by development and more by geopolitical aspirations. “This is about positioning itself as a regional power and countering Egypt’s influence in Africa. It’s also part of a broader effort to gain access to the Red Sea and build a naval presence there.”

Still, Mahmoud said Egypt is unlikely to take immediate action unless a direct threat to its water supply materializes. “As long as there’s no measurable harm, Cairo will likely stick to diplomacy. But under international law, it reserves the right to act if its vital interests are jeopardized.”

He added that many of Addis Ababa’s announcements are aimed more at domestic audiences than at regional planning. “These public statements are often designed to rally Ethiopian citizens, even when they don’t reflect the realities on the ground.”