The U.S. military recently intercepted missiles and drones that were reportedly launched by Houthi rebels in the southern Red Sea. American forces were able to shoot down 12 drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two land attack cruise missiles. While no injuries or damage was reported, this is not the only attack by Houthis in the area. The group also claimed responsibility for another attack on an MSC United commercial ship that was en route from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan.
The Yemeni armed forces confirmed that Houthi fighters were responsible for the missile strikes in the Umm al-Rashrash area, also known as the city of Eilat, on Tuesday. Hezbollah fighters also took over the Galaxy Leader Cargo in the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah. Houthi forces spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the attacks are part of an alleged effort to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the Gaza Strip.
In response to these incidents, the United States and other nations have launched a joint task force known as “Operation Prosperity Guardian” to safeguard commercial shipping operations in the Red Sea. Between 10 and 15 percent of global shipping flows through the Red Sea, making the attacks by Houthi rebels impactful on a global scale. The Houthi attacks have been negatively impacting the economies of nations around the world and causing commercial shipping firms to lose billions of dollars.