Houthi-controlled Yemen launches drone to attack ships in Red Sea

Just hours after the White House and several allies sent a final warning to the Iran-backed militia group to stop the attacks or face possible military action, an armed unmanned surface vessel launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen came within a "couple of miles" of American Navy and commercial vessels in the Red Sea before exploding on Thursday.

It was the first time the Houthis had employed an unmanned surface vessel, or USV, since their harassment of commercial ships in the Red Sea started when the Israel-Hamas war broke out, according to Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the chief of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East. But they have made use of them in previous years.

According to Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and specialist on missiles, the USVs are an essential component of the Houthi naval force and have been utilised in prior engagements with the Saudi coalition forces who have engaged in Yemen's conflict. They have frequently been employed as impact-exploding suicide drone boats.

According to Hinz, the majority of the Houthis' USVs are probably constructed in Yemen, although they frequently have Iranian-made parts installed, like computerised guidance systems.

During an emergency Security Council meeting on Wednesday at the UN, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Christopher Lu stated that Iran has given the Houthis money and cutting-edge weaponry, including as ballistic missiles, land assault cruise missiles, and drones. According to him, Iran has also had a significant role in organising the Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.

He stated that although Tehran has an option, the US is not looking to engage in combat with Iran.

“It can continue its current course,” Lu said, “or it can withhold its support without which the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels navigating shipping lanes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”

This begs the issue of whether any action taken against the Houthis would in any way address Iran's participation as well, which runs the danger of intensifying the fighting.

A senior Biden administration source described the statement issued to the Houthis on Wednesday as a last warning. It was signed by the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

“Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews,” the countries said in the statement. “The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.”

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder would not say whether any military action would follow Thursday’s launch of the sea drone.

I’ll let the statement speak for itself, which, again, represented many nations around the world and highlighted that if these strikes don’t stop, there will be consequences,” Ryder said.

The Houthis have attacked commercial ships navigating the Red Sea with several one-way assault drone and missile launches since late October. Additionally, ballistic missiles that the Pentagon claims were aimed for Israel have been intercepted by US Navy vessels. According to Cooper, American warships have shot down 61 missiles and drones in all.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian in December in response to the Houthi attacks. Additional ships from the US and other nations are being sent to the southern Red Sea to guard commercial vessels as they pass through the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Since the operation began on December 18, 1,500 commercial ships have been allowed to pass through securely, according to Cooper.

But the Houthis have persisted in firing missiles and attacking drones, so on Wednesday the White House and twelve allies issued what amounted to a last warning to stop attacking Red Sea shipping or risk possible targeted military action.

Operation Prosperity Guardian, according to Cooper, is entirely defensive in nature and unrelated to any military action the United States could take should the Houthi attacks persist.

The U.S., United Kingdom and France are providing most of the warships now, and Greece and Denmark will also be providing vessels, he said.