The U.S.-led retaliatory strikes against Iranian-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea aim to prevent future conflicts, while avoiding further escalation, according to Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in an exclusive interview with ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz.Brown spoke with Raddatz as the Houthis escalated their attacks on Friday near Yemen, launching anti-ship ballistic missiles in two separate incidents. One missile struck a British-operated oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, causing it to catch fire. The other missile was intercepted by the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Carney without causing damage.Explore Martha Raddatz’ exclusive interview with Joint Chiefs Chairman CQ Brown on ABC’s “This Week.”
ABC News’ Martha Raddatz interviews Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.ABC NewsRaddatz’s exclusive interview with Brown will air Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”Raddatz asked Brown about criticisms that the Biden administration is not taking a strong enough stance against these militants or Iran, which the U.S. accuses of funding the attacks.Brown, as President Joe Biden’s top military adviser, responded: “I would also ask, what do they want? A broader conflict? Do you want us in a full-scale war?”Brown stated that the goal is to deter conflict while safeguarding U.S. forces.
Houthi fighters and tribesmen stage a rally against the U.S. and the U.K. strikes on Houthi-run military sites near Sanaa, Yemen, Jan. 14, 2024.AP”We must carefully consider our approach in these areas, and we cannot foresee exactly how any of these groups will react,” he said. “Therefore, we must prioritize force protection and the ability to neutralize their capabilities.””We want to avoid escalating the situation, leading to a broader conflict in the region,” he added.The Houthis claim that the more than 30 attacks in the Red Sea since last fall are retaliatory measures against U.S. and British support for Israel’s actions against Hamas.In the case of the British-operated oil tanker, the ship sustained damage and the crew had to abandon the vessel. U.S. officials reported that the crew safely boarded a lifeboat, while the USS Carney and a French warship were en route to provide assistance.Some lawmakers, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Mike Johnson, have supported the U.S.-led strikes, deeming them necessary but overdue.”The United States and our allies must leave no room to doubt that the days of unanswered terrorist aggression are over,” McConnell said.However, other lawmakers have insisted on consulting Congress first. In a letter to Biden on Friday, a bipartisan group of 22 House lawmakers referred to the strikes as “unauthorized.” A group of bipartisan senators, including Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Todd Young, R-Ind., also sent a similar letter earlier in the week.The Pentagon has labeled the strikes as self-defense, which does not require pre-authorization from Congress.”We urge your Administration to seek authorization from Congress before involving the U.S. in another conflict in the Middle East, potentially provoking Iran-backed militias that may threaten U.S. military servicemembers already in the region, and risking escalation of a wider regional war,” the House lawmakers wrote.
