An Iranian warship sailed into the Red Sea Monday, according to Iranian state media and other reports, risking a potential escalation of tensions in waters where attacks on commercial shipping are becoming frequent and forcing navies to intervene.
The arrival of the Iranian vessel, the frigate Alborz, in the Red Sea comes amid an ongoing conflict that started with Israel and Hamas but has spread to involve the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, among others.
Following weeks of American warships shooting down Houthi threats, such as missiles and drones, US Navy helicopters on Sunday fired on and destroyed three Houthi attack boats attempting to board a Maersk cargo ship. A fourth boat fled the attack.
The Red Sea is a corridor of piracy. That Iran appears to be using it as an opportunity for broader conflict doesn’t make it tied to Israel; it makes it tied to Iran.
Now, both the US and Iran are using proxies, so the secondary conflict area may not quite be what it is otherwise, but if the US pulled support for Israel, free passage through the Red Sea would still be of strategic value.
Mush like the seas around SE Asia.
The Houthi rebels are attacking peaceful vessels that have nothing to do with this conflict. I personally fully support securing these shipping lanes.
If Iran didnt support the Houthis i would support them helpibg aswell. But still, there is such a thing as Freedom of navigation, so the iranian ship can go there. They just can’t provoke a conflict.