Since its founding, the U.S. has worked to protect key shipping lanes and to uphold freedom of navigation in international waters. But the Biden administration 's weak response to attacks on shipping by the Houthis, a Yemen-based Iranian proxy , has led to Washington seemingly abandoning its long-standing obligations.

On Dec. 15, 2023, two of the world’s largest shipping companies, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, announced that they will suspend passage through the Red Sea strait, a key crossing for global commerce. The companies cited increased attacks by the Houthis. The Houthis have hijacked ships and used both drones and missiles to attack vessels. The assaults have increased since the start of the war between Israel and other Iranian proxies like Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah. The Houthis have also launched missiles at Israel itself.

Four of the five world’s top shipping firms have now suspended passage, with many rerouting through more time-consuming routes. The Red Sea is a vital waterway for shipping oil, fuel, and other goods. According to the BBC's Vivienne Nunis, the additional crew, fuel, and insurance costs that will now be required will likely be passed on to consumers.

The Houthi problem has been allowed to fester and is now a full-blown crisis , sparking concern among international companies and key American allies like France and Britain. Washington’s inaction will hurt more than consumers, however. It severely damages American credibility around the world.

Thomas Jefferson, arguably one of the more pacifist presidents in American history, deployed an expedition to go after Barbary pirates who were attacking U.S. ships. President Ronald Reagan sent warships into the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War to protect shipping. In 1996, when China began testing missiles to intimidate Taiwan, President Bill Clinton sent the Seventh Fleet into the Taiwan Strait to assert the right of free passage.

Protecting sea lanes and promoting free navigation has been a bedrock of American foreign policy — and for good reason. The United States, like Great Britain before it, owes much of its ascension in world politics to a strategic doctrine that emphasized commerce and trade — and commensurate naval power and willpower to ensure that strategy’s success.

Since World War II and the decline of the British Empire, the U.S. has guaranteed freedom of navigation, a key tenet of global security and prosperity. This order has provided resultant benefits for friend and foe alike. But by allowing the Houthis to interfere with shipping, the United States is signaling that it is no longer up to the job.

Few international actors will fail to observe that a terrorist group has been able to bring international shipping to a halt in the Red Sea. They will make their future calculations accordingly.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has promised that he is working on assembling a coalition to address Houthi attacks. But for many, including a China eyeing Taiwan or an Iran plotting more attacks, America’s abdication of responsibility hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The writer is a Senior Research Analyst for CAMERA, the 65,000-member, Boston-based Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis.