With the recent dangers of shipping in the Red Sea, the US announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, in cooperation with ten other countries, in order to secure shipping lanes through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of the most vital lanes, especially for Europe-Asia. This comes in light of Houthi attacks on civilian ships. Operation Prosperity Guardian includes the US, the UK, Canada, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, and Seychelles. These are two Pillars who are participating in the operation (the US and EU-UK). There are also around ten more states participating, some rumored to be Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but they remain anonymous in part for fear of domestic public opinion. In part due to these efforts, shipping giant Maersk is to restart shipping through the region. The Indian navy has also deployed warships in response to attacks on merchant vessels. In the region, the US has also been battling other Iranian proxies, such as in Iraq.
The US signed a new defense spending bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, into law. It aims to strengthen American positions in the Indo-Pacific, and some minor aid to Ukraine and Israel.
In the Asia-Pacific, there is still a stark reminder of the threat to global security that looms large. In the APEC Summit earlier this year in San Francisco, China’s Xi Jinping stated to Biden that China still plans on reunifying with Taiwan. It is a cornerstone of Xi’s policy that should not be forgotten.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) sails alongside the Japanese Murasame-class destroyer Akebono (DD 108) in the Gulf of Aden Nov. 25, 2023. Sailors from both ships trained on visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) procedures, helicopter operations, and division tactic exercises, increasing interoperability between the two allies. DAs part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKECSG), the Mason is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Samantha Alaman)