Washington Post: U.S. Campaign Fails to Stop Houthi Attacks on Ships

NYN | Reports and analyses:

A report published by the American newspaper “The Washington Post” states that the recent attacks carried out by Houthi fighters on commercial ships in the Red Sea have confirmed their ability to pose a sustained threat.

The report, written by the newspaper’s correspondents Susannah George, Dan Lamothe, and Abigail Hauslohner, explained that despite U.S. airstrikes against them, which were some of the strongest American strikes, the Houthis continued to threaten some of the world’s most vital shipping routes. They have taken advantage of an increasingly sophisticated arsenal to attack ships in and around the Red Sea.

The report mentioned that just this month, the Houthis sank one ship and set another on fire. The fighters operating on land and water launched swarms of drones at American warships and deployed remotely controlled explosive-laden boats.

**Persistent Threat**

The recent surge in Houthi activity has confirmed the group’s ability to pose a continuous threat, partly relying on a steady flow of Iranian weapons and expertise to withstand American strikes and remain on the offensive.

The U.S.’s faltering efforts to stop Houthi operations and protect global maritime shipping have also attracted scrutiny from Congress, where lawmakers say not enough is being done to establish deterrence.

Gerald Feierstein, the former U.S. ambassador to Yemen and now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said, “Their ability to replace everything we destroy is significant, and our ability to prevent equipment from reaching the country is weak.”

Feierstein added, “Their capability has certainly increased since they began their campaign, and they have the incentive to continue these attacks, and they have proven they have the capability to do so.”

The report indicated that the relative success of the Houthi campaign in the Red Sea has granted them greater maneuverability in the region and domestically.

Source: Al Jazeera