U.S. forces took down dozens of Iran-backed Houthi drones in the Red Sea and in Yemen this month, as Houthi rebels continue to target civilian and commercial vessels in the region.
Specifically, the Houthis conducted attacks against MT Bentley I, a Panama-flagged, Israel-owned, Monaco-operated tanker vessel in the Red Sea, and the MT Chios Lion, a Liberian-flagged, Marshall Islands-owned, Greek-operated crude oil tanker in the Red Sea. No injuries were reported after these events.
“This continued reckless behavior by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement after the attack. “The Houthis claim to be acting on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza and yet they are targeting and threatening the lives of third country nationals who have nothing to do with the conflict in Gaza. USCENTCOM will continue to act with partners to hold the Houthis accountable and degrade their military capabilities.”
The attacks continue to reverberate across commercial shipping.
According to a Defense Intelligence Agency report from June, container shipping through the Red Sea dropped by approximately 90 percent from December to the middle of February. The report said other shipping routes around Africa cost an additional $1 million in fuel costs – on top of extending transit time.
Additionally, at least 29 major energy and shipping companies have modified their shipping itineraries due to Houthi attacks in the region, according to the report.
All told, the ramifications of the Houthi attacks have affected at least 65 countries’ interests, the report said.
“We’re absolutely taking any Houthi threats seriously and continue to work with allies and partners to degrade and disrupt their capability to launch attacks in the Red Sea and in the region,” Pentagon press secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters July 23. “As it relates to the potential impact on U.S. forces…we’ll take all necessary measures to ensure that our forces are protected and take appropriate actions.”
Altogether, U.S. forces destroyed at least 31 Houthi air drones, 16 surface drones, and four radar sites in Yemen this month, according to a tally of incidents U.S. Central Command reported in July.
The aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower and its strike group, also wrapped up its historic deployment in July to the Middle East — totaling 275 days at sea. The carrier and its strike group were responsible for taking out a barrage of Houthi drones and missiles during the deployment.
“Many have described our deployment as unprecedented, but I would argue that every day for the last nine months, I’ve observed the consistent, relentless professionalism of the men and women aboard Ike, from launching and recovering aircraft to responding to engineering causalities and feeding the ship’s crew of 4,000 people,” Capt. Chris Hill, the commanding officer of the Eisenhower, said in a Navy news release. “It is that resiliency and tenacity that makes Ike the best.”
Ike was replaced on station by the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group.
Go here for Navy Times’ up-to-date tracker of incidents between the Navy and the Houthis.
