Blinken Warns Iran On Supporting Houthis On Bahrain Visit

Wires carrying comments from US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who delivered remarks to reporters following his visits to the Palestinian territories and Bahrain. On the attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi rebels in Yemen states that "Red Sea attacks have been aided an abetted by Iran.", says "There will be consequences for continued attacks in Red Sea by Houthis."

• Blinken says he made clear to Iran that support they are providing to Houthis needs to stop.
• Bahrain hosts the US 5th Fleet, whose area of operations includes the Gulf of Oman, Bab el-Mandeb strait, and Red Sea, and as such is closely involved in Operation Prosperity Guardian, the US-led alliance to counter the Houthi attacks.
• Following the repelling of a mass Houthi aerial attack overnightby US and UK forces, it remains unclear what the level of response from the US and its allies will be, and indeed what the regional impact will be. UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps stated that "This is an unsustainable situation...watch this space" with regards to further possible action by Britain and its international partners."This cannot continue and cannot be allowed to continue."
• Military strikes on Houthi-held areas of Yemen risks a wider regional conflagration. However, just performing a defensive role and allowing the Houthis to continue attacking shipping unmolested could see the US and its allies painted as ineffectual and unwilling to engage significantly, something that countries such as Russia, Iran, and China will take notice of.