US forces in the Red Sea have successfully conducted “five self-defense strikes” to foil attacks by land and sea from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, according to the American military. The strikes occurred between 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm Saturday Sanaa time (1200 and 1700 GMT) and are part of a series of actions taken by the United States and its allies against the Houthis, aimed at halting the Iran-backed rebels’ repeated attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes. The five strikes included targeting “the first observed Houthi employment of a UUV (unmanned underwater vessel) since attacks began” in October.
Another of the five involved an unmanned surface vessel, or USV, essentially a floating drone. The use of such vessels has been comparatively rare. The other three involved anti-ship cruise missiles, according to a statement from CENTCOM.
Maritime security firm Ambrey reported a new incident in the strategic Bab al-Mandeb straight, in which a cargo vessel came under attack on Sunday. The Houthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen including the port of Hodeida, began their attacks in November, saying they were hitting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza. US and British forces have responded with strikes against the Houthis, who have since declared the two countries’ interests to be legitimate targets as well.
Meanwhile, the Red Sea attacks have raised insurance premiums for shipping companies, forcing many to avoid the Red Sea, a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of global maritime trade.
