U.S. and British warships and aircraft shot down “the largest attack ever by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea” overnight, shooting down every drone, cruise missile, and ballistic missile, and causing damage to warships and commercial ships. Prevented.
On the night of January 9, 18 “suicide” drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile were launched into the Red Sea by Yemen's Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi fighters. However, this is part of an ongoing campaign. It destroyed Western economies by destroying merchant ships and closing important Red Sea routes for trade.
According to the figures, the United States Navy (USN) and Royal Navy (RN) shot down 21 drones and missiles on Tuesday night, more than the 19 that Operation Prosperity Guardian had shot down in its entire campaign so far. Last week, a US Navy admiral said:.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the attempted attack was “a complex attack planned by Iran.” [drones]” and missiles were fired toward “an international shipping lane where dozens of merchant ships were sailing.” The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, her wing's F-18s, and the destroyers Gravely, Laboon, Mason, and Diamond participated in the defense.
The largest ever Houthi offensive in the Red Sea was successfully repelled overnight. @hmsdiamond And an American warship.
Deploying Sea Viper missiles and guns, HMS Diamond destroyed several attack drones heading for ships and commercial vessels heading to the area.@Defense Headquarters @British Navy pic.twitter.com/NWgvYyNgC8
— Defense Operations (@DefenceOps) January 10, 2024
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond alongside the two aircraft carriers Dwight D. Eisenhower involved in Tuesday night's action, in a Nov. 4, 2012, file photo. Image courtesy of Ryan D McLearon/US Navy. (Photo via Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images).
British Defense Minister Grant Shapps said on Wednesday morning that the ships had “successfully repelled the largest ever attack by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea.” Speaking about the modern air combat destroyer HMS Diamond, Mr Shapps said that the RN warship was equipped with Sea Viper missiles and guns, and said that given the ship's narrow effective range, it was at least part of the UK's defence. The department said this shows the attack took place at very close range. Phalanx and Oerlikon guns and “destroyed several attack drones that were heading towards her and her area's commercial vessels.”
Mr Shapps and Centcom said no injuries or damage had been reported. Both parties reiterated Western warnings to Houthi fighters that further attempts to attack commercial trade would have “consequences.”
The attempted attack by the Houthis overnight was the group's 26th attack on a Western ship since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel late last year, and the Houthis say their efforts are in solidarity. claims. It is also the second time since the British air defense ship Diamond has shot down an attack since its arrival in the Red Sea, and the previous incident in December is the first time since 1991 that the RN has shot down a flying target in a fit of anger. was.
For Western countries dependent on imports, costs will rise as long as the Houthis continue to close the Red Sea. https://t.co/jaKab0GdSJ
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 21, 2023
Some attacks have been successful, with ships seized in raids by special forces and ships attacked with drones and missiles.
The Red Sea is an important corridor for maritime trade, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is only 29 miles wide. This means that while it greatly shortens trade voyages between Asia and Europe and even as far as the east coast of America, it is also a very short distance. vulnerable to attack. The attacks have soared shipping costs, including insurance premiums, for the giant container ships, which can carry $1 billion of goods on a single voyage, a serious concern for Western governments trying to curb inflation. It becomes.
Currently, large volumes of container ships, car transport planes, tankers and other vessels bypass South Africa's Cape of Good Hope to reach Europe and the United States, taking days to voyage and costing millions of dollars. Masu.
As a result, Western countries warned the Houthis to halt airstrikes, and the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational warship coalition aimed at protecting the ships. However, some states, including countries that initially claimed to be part of the coalition, are no longer under the command of U.S. task forces and are independent, including France, Italy, Spain, and India, which have made large-scale deployments. I have decided that it is better to be active. They launched their own counterattack.
The Royal Navy sent additional frigates with air combat capabilities to the region on Tuesday. The increased pace of action for RN ships comes at a difficult time for the force, as years of under-investment by the UK government are once again felt.as I got it. The RN is facing a “collapse in frigate numbers” and its amphibious force is idle due to a lack of funding and sailors, according to an analysis of the service in “crisis” by the Naval Observer.
Progress against inflation could be undermined by Houthi attack on cargo shiphttps://t.co/3IU9rHzGBz
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 26, 2023
Houthi attack on Red Sea: Retailers warn of shortages and price rises as imports slow https://t.co/Wb2q6NMIjS
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 5, 2024
