The targeting of another U.S.-owned commercial ship Wednesday shows the militant group remains intent on continuing its attacks in the face of multiple rounds of U.S. military airstrikes.
The Houthis launched anti-ship ballistic missiles at the U.S.-owned, flagged and operated commercial ship Maersk Detroit as it was transiting the Gulf of Aden, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Gravely shot down two missiles and a third fell into the water. There were no indications of damage or injuries in the attack.
The U.S. military has been conducting airstrikes against the Houthis to degrade their capabilities since Jan.11, after several weeks of attacks on commercial ships by the militant group.
The U.S. has launched multiple rounds of two different types of airstrikes — those hitting a wider range of targets, like storage sites and radar capabilities, and also preemptive strikes aiming at Houthi missiles as they're loaded onto launchers to prepare for an attack. This second category — colloquially referred to as "whack-a-mole" strikes — have become an almost daily occurrence.
"If they stop conducting these attacks, then there'll be no further need to take these kinds of actions. But again, our hope is that we can restore security and stability to the Red Sea, and we'll continue to work toward that end," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said this week.
A senior military official told reporters Monday that the strikes were having "good impact, good effect" on degrading the Houthis but acknowledged the militants still retain some capabilities.
No comments:
Post a Comment