Houthi Attacks Show No Signs of Abating: US Admiral

The US-led force in the Red Sea has shot down 19 drones and missiles launched by Iranian-backed Houthis in less than a month, but there is no sign of the attacks abating, according to the commander of the US Navy forces in the Middle East, cited by Bloomberg.

• Over 1500 international merchant ships have passed through the Red Sea since the coalition task force began operations Dec. 18.
• The coalition is using zone defence, with five vessels seeking to protect the whole waterway, rather than escorting individual escorts.
• There have been 25 attacks by Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said.
• On Wednesday, over a dozen countries led by the US issued a statement cautioning that the Houthis “will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.”