The U.S. military has launched a series of attacks on radar sites operated by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in response to the latest Houthi strike on shipping in the Red Sea corridor. The attacks were triggered by the disappearance of a merchant sailor and a fire on the vessel he was on. The U.S. Navy is facing intense combat as it tries to counter the Houthi campaign, with the rebels targeting ships and sailors that have nothing to do with the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The strikes destroyed seven radars in Houthi-controlled territory, as well as two bomb-laden drone boats and a Houthi-launched drone in the Red Sea.
The Central Command stated that the destroyed radars enabled the Houthis to target maritime vessels and endanger commercial shipping. The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen’s capital since 2014, did not acknowledge the strikes or any military losses. One commercial sailor from the vessel Tutor, which was targeted by the Houthis on Wednesday using a bomb-carrying drone boat, remained missing. The crew was rescued by USS Philippine Sea and partner forces, but the Tutor was slowly taking on water and still on fire and sinking, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations center. Most of the mariners on the Tutor were from the Philippines, and efforts were being made to locate the missing sailor.
Another cargo carrier, the Verbena, was struck by two missile attacks by the Houthis in the Gulf of Aden, leading to the crew abandoning ship due to fires. One mariner was severely wounded in the attack. The Houthis have been responsible for more than 50 attacks on shipping, resulting in the deaths of three sailors, the seizure of one vessel, and the sinking of another since November. The U.S.-led airstrike campaign has been targeting the Houthis since January, with recent strikes causing casualties among the rebels.
The conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, has been cited as a motivation for the Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor. The Houthis claim to be acting on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza, but their actions have threatened the lives of third-country nationals who are not involved in the conflict. The ongoing threat to international commerce posed by the Houthis hampers efforts to deliver aid to Yemen and Gaza. Additional explosions were reported in close proximity to another ship in the Red Sea, but the crew remained safe. The situation remains volatile as the conflict between the Houthis and international forces intensifies.
