The U.S. Navy's top commander in the Middle East revealed that Houthi forces in Yemen show no signs of ending their "reckless" attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, despite the involvement of more countries in the international maritime mission to protect vessels in the vital waterway and the beginning of improved trade movement. Vice Admiral Brad Cooper stated that since the announcement of Operation "Guardian of Prosperity" just over ten days ago, 1,200 commercial ships have sailed through the Red Sea area, none of which have been targeted by drones or missile attacks.
He added that more countries are expected to participate, with Denmark being the latest, as it announced on Friday plans to send a frigate to the mission announced by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during his visit to Bahrain, where the U.S. Fifth Fleet is stationed, noting that "this is an international challenge that requires collective action."
For its part, the Danish company Maersk reported on Sunday that "the Houthis in Yemen launched an attack on one of its container ships, forcing it to suspend all its operations through the Red Sea for 48 hours." It confirmed that the crew onboard the ship reported a flash on the deck on December 30 at around 6:30 PM Central European Time while the vessel was 55 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait links the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea and consequently the Suez Canal, connecting vital trade routes between markets in Asia and Europe. The gravity of the attacks, several of which have inflicted damage on ships, has prompted many shipping companies to instruct their vessels to remain stationary and not to enter the strait until the security situation improves. Some major shipping lines have rerouted their vessels around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope, increasing the duration and cost of sea travel.
Cooper, who leads the Fifth Fleet, noted that there are currently five warships from the U.S., France, and the United Kingdom patrolling the waters of the southern Red Sea and the western Gulf of Aden. He added that since the operation's start, the ships have downed a total of 17 drones and four anti-ship ballistic missiles. Just two days ago, the destroyer USS Mason shot down a drone and an anti-ship ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed Houthis, according to U.S. Central Command.
The United States reported that the 22nd attack on international shipping by the Houthis since October 19 did not cause any damage to any of the eighteen vessels in the area or any reported injuries. Cooper remarked, "I expect additional countries to join in the coming weeks," referring to Denmark's recent announcement.
