The Pentagon said Tuesday it's ready to help set up a maritime task force among allied nations to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea following a series of Houthi missile attacks.
The White House announced Monday that the U.S. was in talks about such a task force, just a day after the Navy destroyer USS Carney responded to four attacks against three separate commercial vessels off the coast of Yemen and shot down three drones in the process.
Pentagon press secretary Brig. General Pat Ryder told reporters that the Defense Department is “definitely looking to take action here as it relates to working with partners and allies throughout the region.” However, he also said that a similar task force had already been formed, and how the new task force might differ was not immediately clear.
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“I would highlight we already have the framework in place to enable such a task force through the combined maritime task force,” Ryder said, referring to an international coalition of 39 nations that was originally stood up in 2001 to help with counter-terrorism and counter-piracy efforts in the waters off the Middle East.
The Combined Maritime Forces operate five separate task forces in the region, including Combined Task Force 153, which has focused on Red Sea maritime security since 2022.
Ryder said that current talks are…
