Washington, DC: The Iranian-backed Houthis launched an unmanned surface drone in the Red Sea, targeting commercial shipping lanes. This marks the first instance of the Houthis using such a weapon since the onset of their attacks on merchant vessels in the wake of the Gaza war.
The US Navy commander in the region said that he saw no sign of the attacks abating.
The Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) travelled from Yemen into international shipping lanes “clearly with the intent to do harm” before detonating, said Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Naval Forces Central Command.
According to reports, it wasn’t clear if a specific ship was targeted, and the USV exploded without causing damage to any ships or injuring any crews.
The attack by Unmanned Surface Vessel came a day after a group of countries led by the United States warned Yemen’s Houthi rebels of ‘consequences’ unless they stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping vessels.
“Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews,” said the statement released by the White House on Wednesday.
Cooper further noted that it is the 25th Houthi attack on ships in the Red Sea since November 18.
The attacks are almost certain to continue, prompting the US to create a multinational coalition to defend crucial shipping lanes in the Red Sea and through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, he added.
Reportedly, the Yemen-based Houthis are believed to have been armed and trained by Iran, and there are fears that their attacks could escalate and fuel a wider regional conflict, as reported by CNN.
Moreover, as the attacks continue, with major shipping and oil companies avoiding the area, there are real issues about the impact on the global economy, according to CNN.
“There are no signs their irresponsible behaviour is abating,” Cooper said during a briefing on Thursday.
BACKGROUND
Earlier last month, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the start of Operation Prosperity Guardian with the goal of deterring Houthi attacks and safeguarding shipping lanes.
Cooper highlighted that the coalition now consists of 22 countries and is expected to grow.
Moreover, since the beginning of the operation, it has shot down 19 drones and missiles launched from Houthi territory, as well as sinking three Houthi small boats, Cooper noted.
Although there was a maritime presence in the Red Sea prior to Operation Prosperity Guardian, it was “episodic at best,” Cooper said, because it wasn’t necessary. But the sheer number and frequency of Houthi attacks require a persistent presence there, CNN reported.
Cooper further emphasised that there are currently five warships from different countries in and around the Red Sea, as well as manned and unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, contributing to the effort.
It is pertinent to mention that the Houthis began launching the attacks soon after the start of the Gaza war, claiming they were targeting ships with ties to Israel as they stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
However, most of the last dozen attacks had no connection with Israel, Cooper said, adding that even as it draws more nations into the situation,.
Moreover, the US assesses that 55 nations have direct connections to the ships that have been attacked, whether through the flagging state of the ship, the nationality of the crew, the ship’s origin and destination, or the vessels’ ownership, reported CNN.
“The impact of these attacks spreads across the globe, and as we’ve said, this is an international problem that requires an international solution,” Cooper added.
Meanwhile, in response to the threat to shipping, the US Navy is in frequent communication with commercial vessels as they transit the Red Sea.