(NewsNation) — Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on ships in the Red Sea is an “international problem” that requires an “international solution.”
This is why, he told NewsNation on “Morning in America,” he and other U.S. officials are working very closely with allies to establish an international maritime task force.
This will come under the umbrella of the combined maritime forces, an already existing entity made up of 39 different regions that address these kinds of challenges throughout the Middle East, Ryder said.
“We’ll have much more information to provide in the coming days on what this task force will look like and which nations will be participating,” Ryder said.
On Friday, Houthi rebels shot missiles at two cargo ships within hours of each other. One of these vessels caught on fire.
This follows another incident on Thursday, when the Houthis targeted a container ship sailing to Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis claim they’re doing this to end the Israeli air and ground offensive targeting the Gaza Strip.
Ryder said groups like the Houthis, as well as “Iranian proxy groups” in Iran and Syria are attempting to exploit the Israel-Hamas war and destabilize the region for a “variety of reasons, some of which include their long-standing desire to see the United States be expelled from this part of the world.”
However, Ryder says that the U.S. Department of Defense is working to prevent a broader regional conflict stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, so, “We’re not going anywhere.”
“We’re going to take whatever necessary actions we have to take to protect our forces,” Ryder said. “We’re also going to do what we’ve always done, which is work closely with our allies and partners to ensure peace and stability and security across this region.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.