Former NATO chief pushes Biden for 'more aggressive' response to Houthi attacks

Former NATO chief James Stavridis urged the Biden administration to move toward a “more aggressive” response to the attacks from the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on shipping vessels in the Red Sea.

“What I think the White House is going to be grappling with today, in addition to what you and I have just discussed, is how to respond to these pirate attacks at sea, these Houthi rebels — you can call them Iranian pirates if you want,” Stavridis told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday.

The Houthi rebels have launched several attacks on merchant ships and vessels since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas. Stavridis said the rebels are effectively shutting down the Red Sea, where 15 percent of the world’s supply chain travels.

The United States, along with several allies, warned Houthi rebels against further attacks on ships in the Red Sea, labeling the recent attacks as “illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing.”

“The White House, I think, is going to have to move toward a response that’s more aggressive against the Houthis ashore. That means going after an Iranian proxy that is going to inflate tension,” he said.

Stavridis’s warning came after the U.S. sank three small Houthi boats early Sunday following another attack. He said the sinking was an “entirely appropriate” response, but to really get the attention of Tehran, “it’s going to require strikes ashore against Houthi land infrastructure, fuel depots, docks.”

The former NATO chief, who has warned of escalation between the U.S. and Iran since October, said he thinks that chances of a regional war are increasing.

At least 73 people were killed and another 170 were injured Wednesday in Iran during a ceremony marking the death of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by the U.S. in 2020. Stavridis said it “does not feel like an Israeli operation” and would guess “it could be the work of the Islamic State” or even “internal resistance” but at this time “there are number of explanations.”

“It just doesn’t feel like the Israelis to me, but it’s all part of this larger fabric of violence that’s spreading across the region, and simply the fact that that explosion occurred, when you add to it what’s happening in the Red Sea with the … Iranian-backed piracy, add that to what’s happening ashore in Gaza, of course, the attacks on U.S. forces,” Stavridis said.

“I have to say that the chances of a wider regional war feel to me like they’re ticking up from maybe 10 to 15 percent two months ago to something like 25 to 30 percent now. That’s very uncomfortable," he added.