The Telegraph Reveals U.S. Navy Defeat by the Houthis and the Failure of Western Alliances in the Red Sea

NYN | Reports and analyses

The British newspaper The Telegraph has confirmed that Sanaa government forces (the Houthis) achieved a significant victory over the U.S. Navy, forcing them, along with British forces, to withdraw from the Red Sea. As a result, there is no longer any presence of aircraft carriers or warships from the “Operation Prosperity Guardian” coalition in the region.

In a report published by the newspaper on Saturday, authored by British journalist Tom Sharp, titled “Houthis Defeat U.S. Navy,” the paper noted that “Operation Prosperity Guardian” was established in December 2023 in response to Houthi attacks on commercial ships passing through the southern Red Sea. The operation aimed to form a unified international front to deter the Houthis and reassure shipping companies, which had begun taking the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope due to the risks associated with the attacks and rising insurance costs.

However, the newspaper emphasized that these efforts failed to achieve the desired success, as the Houthis continued their attacks on ships linked to “Israel.” The only thing that dissuaded them were statements in which they declared they would stop the attacks if the war and blockade on Gaza were halted.

The newspaper explained that “in response, Operation Poseidon Archer began in January 2024, involving retaliatory strikes by the U.S. and the U.K. on Houthi targets.” However, as proven by Saudi Arabia’s previous experiences between 2015 and 2023, attempting to disrupt the Houthis through kinetic airstrikes proved ineffective, akin to “trying to punch smoke,” a reality that has now been confirmed.

The paper further noted that “these efforts made no tangible progress, even when the European Union formed a breakaway coalition called ‘Aspides’ to avoid alignment with the U.S. stance toward Israel. The West’s failure to agree on how to carry out a relatively basic mission did not go unnoticed by potential adversaries, nor did it escape the attention of the shipping companies we were trying to reassure.”

Since the beginning of January, the attacks have not only steadily increased in number but also diversified. Drones and cruise missiles have been accompanied by hijackings and ballistic missiles, with April witnessing the first use of an unmanned surface vehicle, which has been increasingly utilized since.

The paper also highlighted that “the Houthis have recently escalated their attacks by firing small arms from fast boats, with the past few weeks showing a notable increase in the number of attacks compared to the average of 2.5 attacks per week.”

The *Telegraph* reported that the Greek-flagged oil tanker *Sounion* was the latest victim, suffering four attacks on Wednesday, which resulted in a fire on board. A French warship from the “Aspides” mission rushed to assist, destroying an approaching drone before rescuing the crew and transporting them to Djibouti. Despite this effort, the ship is now abandoned, currently drifting between Eritrea and Yemen, according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC).

The paper confirmed that “the presence of a European Union ship to save the situation is not surprising, given the EU’s limited naval resources. It is currently the only remaining force in the region, with no ‘Prosperity Guardian’ coalition ships within 500 miles of the site.”

In May, when the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was in service, the United States had 12 warships in the region, performing various tasks from missile monitoring to escort duties. However, there are now no American ships in the area. The UK temporarily had three ships, with HMS Diamond playing a prominent role as part of “Prosperity Guardian,” but after its departure, all other British ships have also left.

Regarding the British withdrawal, the paper noted that “the reason for the withdrawal from the UK’s perspective is clear and straightforward: the UK lacks enough ships, or rather, enough ships in operational condition. The situation in the U.S. is more complicated; they have the ships but have chosen not to deploy any of them.”

In discussing the challenges facing the U.S. Navy, the newspaper pointed out that “the U.S. is not without its own problems. The U.S. Navy has announced that it may have to decommission 17 auxiliary support ships due to crew issues. Additionally, the Western Pacific is experiencing a shortage of aircraft carriers for the first time in years. Ironically, two of these ships are in the Middle East but not in the Red Sea. Moreover, the latest U.S. frigate-building program is facing difficulties and may collapse, while the construction rate for Virginia-class submarines is below the level needed to sustain the current fleet. The U.S. Coast Guard also currently has no operational icebreakers.”

In terms of U.S. military strategy, the newspaper continued: “It is clear that the U.S. has abandoned ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian,’ as this operation failed to deter the Houthis and did not reassure maritime shipping companies. It may be better for the U.S. to go and do something else.”

The newspaper’s analysis of the current situation in the shipping market noted: “Although the shipping market has somewhat settled into a new routine, the additional miles that must be covered pose sustainability challenges, leading shipping companies to eventually prefer returning through the Suez Canal. Thus, passing around the Cape of Good Hope has become the new normal.”

Highlighting the impact of the crises on maritime companies, the paper stated: “The maritime industry is undoubtedly driven by money, which explains why Delta Tankers continues to face challenges despite this being the third attack on one of its ships. This decision seems greedy and unwise, and it is certain that crew members share this sentiment.”

Finally, the newspaper concluded with a powerful statement: “We cannot guarantee the success of ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ under U.S. leadership any more than we could in the past,” noting that “giving up while searching for a political or financial solution represents a significant deviation from the historical maritime thinking of the U.S.”

In conclusion, the newspaper affirmed that “freedom of navigation is an integral part of the U.S. Navy’s DNA, and now is the worst time for the world’s most powerful navy to abandon this fundamental principle.”