Operation Prosperity Guardian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Operation Prosperity Guardian
Part of the Red Sea crisis and the Yemeni civil war
Map of the missile strikes, 12 January 2024.
Date 18 December 2023 – present (1 year, 6 months and 2 days) Location Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Yemen Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Yemen (SPC) Houthi movement	United States  United Kingdom  Australia  Bahrain  Canada  Denmark  Germany  Greece  Netherlands  Norway  Singapore  Sri Lanka Supported by:  South Korea  New Zealand  Seychelles
Commanders and leaders
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi Mohamed al-Atifi Mahdi al-Mashat Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour	Joe Biden Lloyd Austin Rishi Sunak Grant Shapps
Strength
Unclear (see Houthi armed strength)	Unknown
Casualties and losses
15 deaths, 8 injured	Unknown

Operation Prosperity Guardian is a special military effort. It was started by the United States in December 2023. Many countries joined together to form a group called a multinational coalition. Their goal is to protect ships in the Red Sea from attacks.

These attacks are carried out by the Houthi movement in Yemen. They started after the 2023 Israel–Hamas war began in October 2023. The Houthis said they would stop ships going to or from Israel in the Red Sea. They then attacked many commercial ships.

On December 18, 2023, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the new international force. Its aim is to stop the Houthi attacks. It also wants to keep international shipping safe in the area.

More than 20 countries are part of this group. Some countries, like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, are not officially listed. This is even though their economies rely on safe shipping in the Red Sea. On January 9, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) asked the Houthis to stop their attacks.

The very next day, the Houthis launched their biggest attack yet. They fired many drones and missiles at international ships. In response, on January 12, the coalition launched its first airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The Houthis have promised to fight back.

Why the Operation Started

This operation aims to keep shipping lanes safe and open. These lanes are in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden. After the 2023 Israel–Hamas war began, Houthi forces attacked and took over several civilian ships.

The Houthis said they would only target ships linked to Israel. However, some ships with no Israeli ties were also attacked. This might have happened because many ships turned off their tracking systems. The Houthis claim they will stop the attacks if Israel allows aid into Gaza. They see these attacks as a way to pressure Israel's allies.

These attacks made many large shipping companies change their routes. They started avoiding the Suez Canal. By January 2024, at least 17 civilian ships had been attacked.

Important Waterways

The waterways around the Red Sea are like "chokepoints" for the world economy. A chokepoint is a narrow passage that is very important for trade. These waterways connect the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean. They also link the Suez Canal with the Horn of Africa. Because of this, some people called the situation a "new Suez Crisis."

In early January, fewer ships were using these routes. The number of daily cargo ships and oil tankers went down.

Countries and Forces Involved

The operation's ships are controlled by Combined Task Force 153. This group is part of the U.S. Combined Maritime Forces. The United States Navy's Carrier Strike Group 2 is currently involved. This group includes the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. It also has escort ships like the destroyers USS Gravely, USS Laboon, and USS Mason.

Other countries have also sent ships or personnel:

• The British destroyer HMS Diamond is involved.
• Denmark and Greece plan to send one frigate each.
• The Netherlands plans to send two staff officers.
• Norway plans to send up to ten staff officers. They are not sending any ships yet.
• Australia will send 11 military personnel. They did not send a warship as requested by the U.S.
• Canada is sending three staff officers as part of Operation Artemis. They will also send some land, air, and sea support vehicles.
• Seychelles is not sending ships or personnel. They are helping by sharing information as a member of the Combined Maritime Forces.
• Singapore is sending a team to help share information with shipping companies. They are also sending a senior representative to the Combined Maritime Forces.

Key Events

A US Navy F/A-18 fighter jet taking off at night before the 2024 Yemeni airstrikes.

A missile being launched from a U.S. Navy vessel before the 2024 Yemeni airstrikes.

On January 12, 2024, the U.S. and UK launched airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. They had support from Australia, Canada, South Korea, Germany, the Netherlands, and Bahrain.

Attacks on Ships

Here are some of the attacks that happened after Operation Prosperity Guardian was announced:

List of attacks after the announcent of Operation Prosperity Guardian

Ship	Flag	Date	Attack Type	Details	Losses	Ref
Blaamanen	Norway	23 December 2023	One-way drone attack	The attack failed and caused no damage.
Sai Baba	Gabon	23 December 2023	Drone strike	Hit by a drone, but no one was hurt.
MSC United VIII	Liberia	26 December 2023	Naval missile attack	Several explosions happened near the ship. No injuries were reported.
Maersk Hangzhou	Singapore	30–31 December 2023	Anti-ship missile attack / attempted piracy	Militants attacked and hit the ship. No one was hurt. An attempt to hijack the ship failed on December 31.	10 Houthis dead / 3 gunboats
St. Nikolas	Greece	11 January 2024	Hijack	An oil tanker was taken over by a special team. It was last seen heading towards Bandar Abbas, Iran.

See also

In Spanish: Operación Guardián de la Prosperidad para niños