MEI Outlines Expanded US Role to Counter Houthi Red Sea Strikes

The Middle East Institute’s (MEI) Defense and Security Program published a memorandum, addressed to US President Joseph R. Biden, recommending an expanded role for the United States in countering the threat posed to global shipping by the targeting of vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi militia. 

The memo, “A Strategy for Countering the Houthi Threat at Sea,” comes in response to the over 30 strikes conducted by Yemen’s Houthi militia on cargo and other vessels transiting the Red Sea since mid-November. It is co-authored by five members of MEI’s Defense and Security Program, including program Director Bilal Y. Saab, Vice Admiral (ret.) Kevin Donegan, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Mick Mulroy, Lieutenant General (ret.) Sam Mundy, and General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel.

The authors call for a continuation of retaliatory strikes by the United States and United Kingdom against Houthi leadership and infrastructure, but argue this strategy is insufficient, and proceed to offer several additional recommendations for the US to protect shipping and counter Iran’s malign activities in the region.

“For the first time in four decades, a core US interest in the region on which successive American presidents have based US Middle East policy — freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce — is increasingly at risk,” said Bilal Saab.

“In our memo to President Biden, we propose a strategy to effectively and sustainably counter the Houthi threat at sea.”

Among the recommendations is the establishment of an interagency effort led by US Central Command (CENTCOM) to deny the Houthis the ability to target Red Sea vessels, including through efforts to interdict Iran’s smuggling of arms to the group as well as through continued strikes on Houthi infrastructure and leadership.

The memo calls on the Biden administration to allow the US 5th Fleet Commander to assert “collective self-defense” of US flagged, owned, crewed, or operated vessels, or ships requesting US protection while transiting the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden. Additionally, the authors call for increased funding for added unmanned surveillance vessels (USV) to patrol Red Sea waters. 

Though calling for an expanded US role, the recommendations also draw attention to international tools at the United States’ disposal, such as partnerships with European and Arab allies, as well as re-investment in the UN Verification Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) tasked with monitoring and facilitating commercial flows to Yemen.