The story: Iranian media outlets are hailing what is described as an Arab reluctance to join the US-led mission in the Red Sea. The maritime task force has been set up to counter attacks on Israeli-linked shipping by Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, better known as the Houthis. While Iran has long backed the Houthis, it has denied any direct involvement in the targeting of ships off the coast of Yemen.

The coverage: The Houthis have in past weeks hit multiple Israeli-linked vessels, saying that the attacks will continue until the war in Gaza ends. Against this backdrop, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Dec. 19 announced the creation of a naval coalition together with nine other nations to protect...