The military is developing plans for strikes on Houthi facilities in Yemen in response to ongoing attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, while intelligence is preparing to repel strikes from pro-Iranian groups in Iraq and Syria.
At the same time, Washington fears that violence in the Gaza Strip could spill over into the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Lebanon.
A major war in the Middle East is dangerous not only for regional security, but also for Biden's re-election chances, Politico notes. An escalation of the situation could lead to US President Joe Biden becoming more embroiled in the region and less focused on domestic issues.
Context: Since 17 October, pro-Iranian militants in Iraq and Syria have attacked US military and diplomatic facilities 118 times. The US has been secretly coaxing Tehran for months to persuade its proxy forces to reduce the attacks, but the scale of the attacks has not diminished and may even increase soon.
The Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea are causing tangible damage to world trade and effectively blocking the Suez Canal, which accounts for about 10 per cent of the world's maritime cargo traffic. The flow of cargo in the Red Sea was down 30 per cent in December compared to the same period the previous month. Several major maritime shipping companies, including Maersk, MSC, HMM and Hapag Lloyd, have announced the dispatch of all or part of their vessels to bypass the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.
