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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown, stated that the crisis in the Red Sea cannot be resolved through military force alone against the Yemeni "Ansar Allah" (Houthi) movement.

Speaking at the annual security forum organized by the "Aspen" Institute, the American commander said: "It will take more than just military strikes to change the Houthis. It will require more than just joint efforts between [US government] agencies. It will require greater international effort to pressure the Houthis to stop what they are doing," adding that in this case, something "more than just a military campaign" is needed.

At the same time, Brown effectively rejected calls to strike Iran or its reconnaissance ships in the Arabian Gulf, explaining that he considers the broader picture and all potential consequences, including second- and third-order effects, when he hears such recommendations from certain circles in the United States.

He added: "Once an action is taken, what are the second-order consequences that fall on me as someone responsible for thinking strategically about the actions we take, about our recommendations, and about the risks of further escalating or expanding the conflict?"

He noted that one of the tasks set by US President Joe Biden is to "prevent the expansion of conflict in the Middle East," affirming that "we have acted effectively in this manner, and he (Biden) wants us to continue doing so."

Referring to his consultations with partners in the Middle East, Brown indicated that the consequences of the Houthis' actions are beginning to appear in the region at the commercial level.

Tensions in the Red and Arabian Seas and the Gulf of Aden have escalated since last November when the "Ansar Allah" group began attacking ships they claim are linked to or heading to Israeli ports in response to the Israeli war against Gaza.

The United States and Britain launched a wide-scale attack on "Ansar Allah" positions in several Yemeni cities on January 12, following the group's attacks in the Red and Arabian Seas. The group then expanded its targets to include American and British ships in response to airstrikes.

On October 10, "Ansar Allah" announced that they would support Palestinian factions in confronting the Israeli army in Gaza with rocket and air attacks and "other military options" if the United States directly intervened in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the sector.

Source: RT