- US sinks Houthi vessels
- Red Sea tensions rise
- Yemen cable security concerns
Three vessels engaged in an assault on a container ship in the Red Sea have been sunk, according to the United States military, which is continuing its patrol mission to mitigate threats posed by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely helicopters fired in self-defence at the “Iranian-backed Houthi small boats” on Sunday morning in response to an SOS signal from the Singapore-flagged vessel Maersk Hangzhou, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). It was reported that US helicopters sank three of the vessels, resulting in the deaths of several of their crew. Boat number four evaded.
CENTCOM issued a distress call from Maersk Hangzhou in response to gunfire from Houthi vessels that approached within 20 metres (65 feet) and attempted to board the vessel, according to a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
The CENTCOM statement further stated that in response to the actions of the US helicopters, the Houthi vessels fired upon them as well, leading the helicopters to return fire.
The alleged Houthi attack on the Maersk Hangzhou was the second in less than twenty-four hours. CENTCOM reported late Saturday night that it had intercepted two Houthi-launched ballistic missiles in retaliation for a separate missile assault on Maersk Hangzhou.
Following the attacks, Maersk, a multinational shipping corporation and the vessel’s owner, announced a 48-hour suspension of operations in the Red Sea, emphasising the persistent danger faced by commercial vessels in the area.
Red Sea Assaults
The Houthis of Yemen, aligned with Iran, repeatedly targeted Israeli-affiliated vessels traversing the Red Sea amid Israel’s conflict with Gaza. This has compelled major international shipping companies, including Maersk, to forsake the waterway. According to the Houthis, their offensive will continue until Israel ceases its assaults on Gaza.
The United States declared the formation of a global naval task force on December 19 to protect shipping in the contested waters, through which approximately 12 percent of international commerce passes.
Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar reports from Djibouti on the periphery of the Red Sea that, of the twenty countries reportedly cooperating with the US in supporting the coalition, only the United Kingdom has contributed warships directly. As a result, Washington is essentially “acting alone” against the Houthis.
Serdar stated, “There is a negligible naval presence here.”
Even though the initial appearance of the coalition led by the United States appeared to instil some assurance along the route, the Houthi continue to launch assaults against passing vessels.
Vice Admiral Brad Cooper of the United States of America told The Associated Press that the group is increasingly employing anti-ship ballistic missiles to target vessels, and that the United States is “certain that the Houthi reckless attacks will continue.”
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As the group escalates its attack frequency, it is evident that the United States naval forces have “not been able to deter the Houthis” thus far, according to Serdar of Al Jazeera.
According to him, the most recent conflict represented a significant escalation because the United States not only sank Houthi vessels but also killed Houthi combatants. He stated that Yemenis are in a “huge panic” over the possibility that the conflict will spread into their territory in response to these confrontations.
Serdar stated, “That could spark another war that would devastate the region.”
The disturbance in the Red Sea coincides with a surge in regional indignation over the destruction in Gaza, where Israeli military operations have claimed the lives of a minimum of 21,822 Palestinians (eighteen of whom are children) in less than three months.
On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise cross-border assault on Israeli territory, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,140 individuals, the majority of whom were Israeli civilians, as reported by Israel.
America, which has consistently supported Israel militarily and diplomatically since the beginning of the conflict, has also experienced its assets targeted by Iran-backed groups in Syria and Iraq for over a century since the conflict began.
Are Cables for Communications Secure?
Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed its dedication to safeguarding critical submarine communications cables traversing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which supply power to internet networks, in light of apprehensions that the Houthis of Yemen may next target these cables.
The ministry stated, “Vessels owned by international companies authorised by Maritime Affairs – Sanaa to perform marine cable works are not affected by Yemen’s decision to obstruct the passage of Israeli enemy vessels.”
Nevertheless, it further stated that vessels “carrying out submarine cable construction” must “obtain the required authorisations and permits.”
