The “Guardian of Prosperity”: A Military Defeat and Diplomatic Failure
Before Washington announced the creation of what it termed the “Prosperity Alliance,” it had already engaged in fierce confrontations with Yemeni armed forces. Early on, it became evident that the U.S. was incapable of bearing the cost of direct confrontation, let alone face the stark reality of its declining geostrategic influence both regionally and globally. As a leader of international coalitions, Washington rarely wages wars directly, preferring proxy wars or reliance on intermediaries.
In its bid to launch the so-called “Guardian of Prosperity” alliance, aimed at safeguarding Israeli ships, the U.S. undertook an intensive diplomatic campaign to garner support from Arab, Islamic, and European nations. Yet these efforts failed to produce a cohesive and effective coalition capable of addressing the intensifying Yemeni operations. These operations have imposed an unrelenting and severe blockade on Israeli navigation in both the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
The inability of the U.S. to establish the alliance it envisioned signaled the onset of a broader decline in its influence in the region. This is especially significant in matters involving its critical interests such as its regional dominance and the protection of the Israeli entity. The failure to deliver on its promises of “freedom of navigation and maritime security” highlights what could be seen as the initial manifestations of the end of the American era of supremacy.
Arab Rejection and Global Hesitation
One of the most significant obstacles to the alliance’s success was the overt – at least officially – rejection by Arab nations bordering the Red Sea, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt. For the first time, these countries openly defied U.S. directives, even as some speculate they might have participated covertly. This marked a rare opportunity for these regimes to challenge the long-standing expectation of compliance with Washington’s demands.
Publicly, these governments have taken a cautious stance against engaging in a wide-scale maritime confrontation. Aligning with an alliance overtly supporting the Israeli entity would have caused significant domestic and international embarrassment, given the deep political and public sensitivities surrounding any military normalization with the Zionist enemy.
Egypt, which controls the critical Suez Canal, justified its military non-participation by emphasizing the importance of keeping its trade routes free from potential escalations that could harm its fragile economy. Moreover, Arab public sentiment strongly favored Egypt supporting Gaza, rather than aligning with Israeli interests.
Similarly, the U.S. failed to persuade key Islamic nations such as Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia to join the alliance for several reasons:
- Turkey, which has consistently sought to position itself as a mediator in regional conflicts, viewed participation in an alliance against operations supporting Gaza as a blow to its diplomatic standing and its relations with the Islamic world. Although Turkey maintains covert trade relations with the Israeli enemy, investigative reports based on satellite tracking have revealed its continued logistical support for the entity through shadow maritime operations.
- Pakistan, officially committed to supporting Palestine, found no justification for engaging in maritime operations targeting resistance forces, especially amidst widespread domestic opposition to any connection with the Israeli entity.
- Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority nation, maintained a stance closer to the resistance rather than normalization advocates. It reaffirmed its support for Palestinians and distanced itself from any activities that could be interpreted as alignment with Israeli interests.
The escalating atrocities and collective massacres committed by the Zionists have further fueled public pressure on governments to oppose the Israeli entity and champion the Palestinian cause. This shift has also dampened international enthusiasm for Washington’s calls to establish an alliance primarily aimed at protecting Israeli navigation and breaking the Yemeni-imposed siege.
Limited European Engagement
Despite efforts to secure European support under the banner of protecting maritime navigation, European contributions – with the exception of the U.K. – were mostly symbolic, and limited to intelligence sharing without direct military involvement. France and Germany, which both have substantial interests in the Red Sea region, refrained from offering direct support, wary of exacerbating tensions with regional populations who harbor deep sensitivities toward any association with the Israeli enemy.
Spain outright rejected association with the U.S. alliance without explicit approval, a move that embarrassed Washington. Later, Denmark announced its withdrawal from the alliance, while the Netherlands restricted its involvement to deploying only two soldiers.
A Coalition Without Foundations
The U.S. miscalculated the importance of public opinion in Arab and Islamic countries, where the overwhelming majority opposes any military alliance designed to protect their shared adversary, Israel. With widespread popular support for the Palestinian resistance, the so-called “Guardian of Prosperity” alliance has been widely perceived as lacking both regional and international legitimacy. Relying heavily on American and British forces, the coalition has failed to gain substantial backing from other nations. This diplomatic failure has revealed the limits of U.S. influence in the region while reinforcing Yemen’s position, which has successfully established a new power equation in the Red Sea.
Growing Setbacks and Repeated Failures
The U.S.-led alliance has failed to shield its vessels from Yemeni attacks or to break the Yemeni blockade imposed on the Israeli entity.
Yemeni operations against U.S. naval vessels have intensified, marking one of the most remarkable chapters in modern warfare. Below are key incidents recorded between November 2023 and January 2025:
- Attack on USS Laboon (December 23, 2023):
On December 23, 2023, the U.S. Central Command reported intercepting four drones launched by Yemeni forces targeting the USS Laboon in the Red Sea. - Attack on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (January 10, 2024):
Yemeni forces conducted a military operation involving ballistic missiles, naval missiles, and drones against the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea. The U.S. claimed to have intercepted 18 drones, two cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile during the attack. Repeated assaults on the carrier and its accompanying vessels ultimately forced its withdrawal under unclear circumstances. - Attack on USS Abraham Lincoln (November 12, 2024):
On November 12, 2024, Yemeni forces targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea with cruise missiles and drones during an eight-hour operation. Days later, the Pentagon announced the carrier’s withdrawal from the Middle East. - Attack on USS Harry S. Truman (January 6, 2025):
Yemeni forces targeted the USS Harry S. Truman in the northern Red Sea. The carrier reportedly endured five separate attacks by Yemeni forces as of the time of this report.
A Shifting Regional Paradigm
As time passes, Washington’s illegitimate and unethical mission faces mounting challenges, particularly as genocidal crimes in Gaza continue to escalate. These developments have raised serious questions about the feasibility and objectives of the U.S.-led alliance. The repeated failures of the coalition have underscored Yemen’s resilience, solidifying its role as a formidable force in defending Islamic and Arabic values.