US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin launched Operation Guardian of Prosperity in Bahrain on Tuesday, a major multinational security operation in the Red Sea targeting Houthi rebels.
Several shipping companies have ordered their vessels to stay put and not to enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the security situation is under control, due to the intensity of the attacks, which have caused damage to vessels.
The Pentagon's decision to form a coalition against the Houthi rebels seems to indicate a lack of confidence in the strength of its military forces.
Seychelles Will Serve as Base for Force: Expert
Speaking to Sputnik India, Captain (Retd) Sarabjeet Parmar, Distinguished Fellow at the United Service Institution of India (USI), said that Seychelles was positioned in this operation because of its proximity to the Sea of Reads.
“Seychelles is positioned in that operation not because it possesses maritime assets, but rather because it is close to the region and has an Information Fusion Centre (IFC-IOR) where information can be shared," Parmar said.
The Seychelles could serve as one of the bases for the combined operation south of the mouth of the Persian Gulf, i.e. the Strait of Hormuz, according to Parmar, who also noted that "it will provide easy access for ships to come and go as a replenishment base and for intelligence sharing with other bases, as well as alternative routes to distant locations".
The captain also emphasises that Seychelles will serve as a base for rest and recuperation (R&R) and resupply of the force. This will allow the force to optimise and shorten its deployment routes, which is exactly what a maritime force needs when operating at sea.