Click to see full-size image. (The U.S. Central Command)
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on March 21 that its forces and allies destroyed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and unmanned surface vessel (USV) which were launched by the Houthis (Ansar Allah) from Yemen a day earlier.
A coalition aircraft successfully engaged and destroyed the UAV and U.S. forces successfully engaged and destroyed the USV in the Red Sea, the command said in a statement, noting that there were no reports of injuries or damage.
“It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region,” CENTCOM said. “These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.”
Earlier, the French Navy announced that a helicopter that took off from a destroyer deployed in the Red Sea as a part of the U.S.-allied European Union Naval Force – Aspides had shot down a Houthi drone. This was likely the same interception reported by CENTCOM.
The Houthis have attacked over 60 Israel-affiliated vessels and others owned by the U.S. and the UK in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since last November in response to the Israeli war and siege on Gaza.
The U.S. and the United Kingdom carried out hundreds of strikes against Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen over the last few months in retaliation. At least 34 people were killed in the strikes. Nevertheless, the Houthis continue to develop their military capabilities are now planning to expand their operations to cover vessels in the Indian Ocean, as they travel toward the Cape of Good Hope.
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uncle sam is being humiliated by a bunch of goat herders! all that over-priced useless weaponry cant stop the houthis and their $5,000 drones. 😬
the successrate of houthi’s missiles and ditto for the usv:s is low but it will suffice to keep a majority of merchant vessels away for the time being! just uk and us vessels trying for the suez-shortcut and thus will be targeted by the houthis. just waiting for a successful attack on a us-flagged destroyer.
the hothis don’t need success rate. the sinking of a single merchant ship means a failure of the us and company. furthermore, each intercepted is costly, several missiles used for some costing many times more than the drones or missiles used by the hothis who have a massive stockpile. as for the launchers, read up on the iraqi scuds that america never seemed to be able to neutralize. hothis use the same tactics and have been improving their operations for years
the us loses if it doesn’t defeat the houthis and the hiuthis win if they dont lose.
ok im paraphrasing henry kissinger
houthis humiliate our crumbling empire