US and UK navies successfully repeal Houthi attack on Red sea shipping

• The Houthi rebels launched at least 21 drones and missiles overnight.
• The UK and other countries issued warnings of military action against Houthi.
• Concerns have been raised about potential rises in fuel prices.

UK and US naval forces successfully repelled the largest attack to date by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea, as reported by the UK defense secretary. The US military stated that the Iran-backed group launched at least 21 drones and missiles overnight.

Carrier-based jets and four warships shot down the hostile drones and missiles, preventing any injuries or damage. The Houthis, who have targeted vessels in response to the Gaza Strip conflict and often made false claims about connections to Israel, have not issued a statement.

US military Central Command:

The US military’s Central Command revealed that this attack, occurring at around 21:15 local time, marked the 26th incident since November 19. Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen launched Iranian-designed one-way attack drones, anti-ship cruise missiles, and anti-ship ballistic missiles towards international shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea.

F/A-18 warplanes from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower, deployed in the Red Sea, along with four destroyers (USS Gravely, USS Laboon, USS Mason, and HMS Diamond), intercepted and shot down 18 drones, two cruise missiles, and one ballistic missile.

A British defense source informed the source that HMS Diamond, using its Sea Viper missiles and guns, successfully shot down seven Houthi drones. Each missile deployed by HMS Diamond costs more than £1 million ($1.3 million).

“The UK alongside allies have previously made clear that these illegal attacks are completely unacceptable and if continued the Houthis will bear the consequences,” UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps warned in a statement.

“We will take the action needed to protect innocent lives and the global economy,” he added.

A week ago, the US, UK, and 10 other countries, including Germany, Italy, Australia, Bahrain, and Japan, issued a joint statement. Many interpreted this statement as a threat of military action against Houthi targets in Yemen, where they store and launch missiles. They warned that these attacks posed “a direct threat to the freedom of navigation that serves as the bedrock of global trade in one of the world’s most critical waterways.”

Almost 15% of global seaborne trade passes through the Red Sea, which is connected to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal and serves as the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia. Analysts have raised concerns about potential rises in fuel prices and disruptions to supply chains.

International Chamber of Shipping:

The International Chamber of Shipping reported that 20% of the world’s container ships are currently avoiding the Red Sea, opting for the longer route around the southern tip of Africa. The Houthis claim to be targeting Israeli-owned or Israel-bound vessels in solidarity with the Iran-backed Palestinian group Hamas since the onset of the war in Gaza in October.

On Friday, the foreign ministry of the Houthi-run government in Sanaa rejected the statement from the Western allies, asserting that navigation in the Red Sea is “totally safe,” except for ships heading to ports in occupied Palestine.

“This is a humanitarian measure in the wake of the barbaric practices committed by the Zionist entity [Israel] against civilians in Gaza,” it said, adding that the stance would not change “until the lifting of the savage siege” of the Palestinian territory.

Originally known as the Ansar Allah (Partisans of God), the Houthis started as a movement advocating for Yemen’s Zaidi Shia Muslim minority. In the early 2000s, they engaged in a series of rebellions against the Yemeni government, aiming to secure greater autonomy for their northern heartland along the Saudi Arabian border.

In 2014, the Houthis captured the capital, Sanaa, and the following year, they seized significant portions of western Yemen. This led to a Saudi-led coalition intervening in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

The resulting war, which has reportedly claimed the lives of over 150,000 people and left 21 million others in need of humanitarian assistance, ensued.

Both Saudi Arabia and the US have accused Iran of violating a UN arms embargo by smuggling weapons, including drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, to the Houthis. Iran has consistently denied these allegations.

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