In a significant escalation, Houthi group has claimed responsibility for a military operation targeting U.S. forces in the Red Sea as a retaliatory response to the reported sinking of Tree Houthi boats by the U.S. Navy.
Sheba Intelligence's earlier reports on Monday had unveiled the Houthi acquisition of Russian missiles designed for U.S. ship targeting.
Yahya Saree, the official spokesperson for the Houthi military, detailed that the operation involved a substantial deployment of ballistic missiles, naval missiles, and drones, specifically aimed at an American ship supporting what the Houthis referred to as the "Zionist entity." Saree underscored the commitment to addressing all threats, asserting a continued blockade of Israeli ships or vessels bound for occupied Palestinian ports in the Arabian and Red Seas until the aggression on Gaza ceases.
The U.S. Central Command's Tuesday release outlined that the Iran-backed Houthis executed a sophisticated attack deploying Iranian-designed unmanned aerial vehicles, one-way attack drones, anti-ship cruise missiles, and anti-ship ballistic missiles from their controlled regions in Yemen towards the southern direction of the Red Sea.
This event marks the twenty-sixth attack by the Houthis on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea since November 19.
Despite a joint warning from 14 countries on January 3, cautioning the Houthis about the repercussions of threatening lives, the global economy, and the free flow of trade in vital waterways, the warnings appear to have fallen on deaf ears as the Houthi forces mobilize for a direct confrontation against U.S. forces.
Anticipating the severity of the situation, the United Nations Security Council is set to vote today on a U.S.-proposed resolution condemning Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The resolution calls for an immediate halt to all attacks disrupting global trade, acknowledges member states' right to defend their ships, and urges restraint to prevent further escalation in the Red Sea.