"Ultimatum"! The US-led group of 12 countries warned the Houthis to stop their attacks or face the consequences.

The 12 countries that signed the joint declaration are the United States, Britain, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

"Now let us be clear: We call for an immediate end to these unlawful attacks and the release of the unlawfully detained ships and crew," the joint statement read. "If the Houthis in Yemen continue to threaten lives, the global economy and the free flow of commerce in the region's critical shipping lanes, they will be held accountable for the consequences." A senior Biden administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while the statement did not spell out what the consequences might be for continued Houthi attacks, its message was "very clear." "I expect there will be no further warnings," the official said. "That statement speaks for itself."

Shipping companies believe that the coalition is likely to launch armed attacks on the Houthis, the war is imminent, the lunar year may make the Red Sea tension turned around, but it may also become worse, everything remains to be seen, but the lunar year after the market into the traditional large off-season, can let the ship and cargo sides think about the next step.

Xie Zhijian, former chairman of Yangming Shipping, pointed out earlier that there will generally be three to four weeks after the year is a major off-season for the market, when the market freight will fall. If the Red Sea war really breaks out, can it be resolved quickly, both sides of the ship and cargo can plan well in the market off-season according to the actual situation, and decide how to adjust.

Since November 19, 2023, Houthi militants have carried out 24 attacks against ships with ties to Israel. At present, the United States and its Allies have set up the "Prosperity Defenders" escort operation, and American, French and British warships are patrolling the Red Sea region. On December 31, 2023, U.S. Central Command said Houthi forces attacked a U.S. Navy helicopter in the Red Sea, and then U.S. helicopters sank several small Houthi boats, killing several people. On January 3, 2024 local time, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on the situation in the Red Sea, which was the first time the Security Council held a public meeting on the issue, and stressed the need for the Houthi armed attacks to stop.

According to public information, the Houthis control most of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and much of the Red Sea coast. Since the outbreak of the new round of conflict between Palestine and Israel, the Houthi armed forces have repeatedly attacked ships related to Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians.

If the United States, Britain and other countries decide to conduct military strikes, potential targets could include infrastructure such as Houthi anti-ship missiles and drone launchers, coastal radar installations and ammunition storage facilities. One of the challenges in striking Houthi targets, the officials said, is that many of their weapons systems are mobile.

Asked whether the United States and its Allies were considering pre-emptive action to prevent further attacks, a senior administration official on Wednesday declined to say what further steps would be taken against the Houthis, referring instead to warnings issued earlier.

The senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the United States would act in concert with other countries as they saw fit, adding that the administration has been keen to avoid a return to large-scale war in Yemen, which has suffered years of civil strife.