NYN | News
Former U.S. Central Command leader Kenneth McKenzie stated that the forces of the Sana’a government, referred to as the “Houthis,” have managed to take full control of the Red Sea, and the United States failed to prevent this.
These comments were made by McKenzie in an interview with CBS News on Monday.
McKenzie considered that the U.S. Navy failed in its mission to prevent the “Houthis” from controlling the Red Sea and described its role as “extremely passive.”
While he acknowledged that the U.S. Navy had increased its use of munitions, he suggested that it should “target the Houthi leaders instead.”
Since late last year, the Sana’a government forces have announced attacks on Israeli targets in the occupied Palestinian territories and targeted Israeli and associated ships in the Red and Arabian Seas before declaring that their operations extended to part of the Indian Ocean. Recently, they announced the beginning of the fourth phase of escalation against ships “up to the Mediterranean” in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. They stated that their operations against “Israel” would continue until Israel ends the genocide in Gaza and lifts the blockade.
In response, the U.S. and Britain launched airstrikes on Yemen, prompting the Sana’a government forces to declare that their operations would include targeting American and British commercial and military ships in retaliation for what they called “American-British aggression.”
On February 19, 2024, the European Union announced the launch of a military operation named “Aspides,” led by Italy in the Red Sea, while the United States announced the launch of an operation named “Guardian of Prosperity,” both aimed at countering the attacks by the Sana’a government forces against “Israel.”
