By doing so, Washington recognizes that the newly announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, established to protect the vital shipping route in the Red Sea, may not be enough, the broadcaster reported late on Tuesday.
The US has yet not decided to go ahead, as strikes against the Houthis may worsen the US-Iranian relations, as Tehran is considered by top US officials to be providing support to the Yemeni rebels, Bloomberg reported. Moreover, the Middle Eastern states which Washington sees as its allies, for instance, Saudi Arabia, are unlikely to approve such an approach to eliminating the threat as they fear the region might turn into a flashpoint, according to the report.
On Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin unveiled Operation Prosperity Guardian, saying it will bring together the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada and France, among other countries.
After the armed conflict between Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas flared up on October 7, the Houthis have conducted multiple missile and drone attacks, threatening civilian infrastructure in Israel and commercial shipping operating in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthi rebels have said they will continue to prevent the passage of ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea linked to Israeli companies or bound for Israel until the latter's military actions in the Gaza Strip end.