Between November 2023 and March, more than a dozen commercial vessels fell victim to attacks by Houthi terrorist forces.
Recent successful strikes carried out by U.S. forces targeted assets of the Houthi terrorists in Yemen, as reported by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) overseeing operations in the Middle East.
On June 14, CENTCOM disclosed the destruction of seven radars in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen by the U.S. military. These radars enabled the Iranian-backed group to threaten maritime vessels and disrupt commercial shipping.
The U.S. forces also neutralized a flying drone and two drone boats launched by Houthi forces from Yemen in the Red Sea, in addition to the radar attacks.
The strikes were a response to a series of Houthi assaults on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping lanes.
One notable incident involved the firing of two anti-ship cruise missiles by the Houthis into the Gulf of Aden on June 13. These missiles hit MV Verbena, a cargo carrier carrying wood construction material, causing fires and injuring a civilian sailor.
The crew managed to put out the fires and continue their journey in the Gulf of Aden. The injured sailor was evacuated for medical treatment by a nearby U.S. warship.
The attacks on commercial vessels have had a significant impact on maritime traffic in the region, with a 90 percent drop in commercial traffic through the Red Sea since mid-February, according to a report by the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency.
The Houthi attacks on maritime targets coincided with heightened tensions in the region due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Despite claiming to act in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, the Houthi attacks have affected individuals and vessels unrelated to the conflict.
The CENTCOM condemned the Houthi group’s actions as reckless and harmful to international commerce, making it challenging to provide essential aid to the people of Yemen and Gaza. The U.S. remains committed to working with partners to hold the Houthis accountable and diminish their military capabilities.
