Global risks: Red Sea as a confrontation zone

Will the Red Sea be a negotiation ground for US-Iranian talks or an open confrontation zone, especially with Tehran's announcement of equipping boats loaded with smart missiles to monitor the movements of US ships in the region?

This question arises as concerns grow about the expansion of the confrontation in the area, particularly with the formation of a multinational force to deter Houthi attacks on Israeli ships or those heading to Israel in the Red Sea.

However, the threats widened after the coalition's announcement, extending to ships of all participating countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain.

Thus, the Red Sea has become a platform for exchanging messages, carrying risks for the global economy, as major shipping companies have suspended passage through the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, the main artery of international trade.

Will the international alliance against the Houthis succeed in protecting ships in the Red Sea, or will the dilemmas facing this alliance prevent it?

First, there is increasing concern about the cost of deterring Houthi attacks. Pentagon officials have expressed worries about the cost of the naval SM-2 missile, which exceeds two million dollars and is used to destroy Houthi drones, each costing only two thousand dollars.

Second, how can the United States reconcile its desire not to expand the confrontation with striking the Houthis, who threaten to open a new front?

All of this leads to the third question: What will be the scale of the response for the new international alliance, and when will it begin?