Shortly after the US aircraft downed three Houthi boats in the Red Sea, the White House released a statement claiming that it is not pursuing a wider conflict in the Middle East. According to the information, the US killed members of the Iranian-backed rebel group that has been attacking commercial and commerce vessels in the Red Sea since hostilities began when US helicopters sank the Houthi boats and killed its crew. This was the first time that the US had done this.As per statement from the US, the action has been taken to prevent the situation from getting worse. The US has refrained from taking direct action against the organisation operating inside Yemen. However, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council declared on Sunday that the US would keep acting in self-defense.We are neither seeking a confrontation with the Houthis, nor are we seeking a battle further out in the region. As we have often stated, the appropriate course of action in this situation would be for the Houthis to cease their strikes, John Kirby said.It is to be noted here that four small boats from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen assaulted the Maersk Hangzhou on Saturday with small weapons and attempted to board the merchant vessel. The US Central Command said that a security crew on board had responded by firing back.Since October 7, the Houthis have attacked numerous commercial vessels with the justification that they are supporting Hamas in their conflict with Israel.To bolster security in the vital global shipping corridor, the US has sent warships to the Red Sea and last month formed the international maritime coalition known as Operation Prosperity Guardian.
