The US is facing its toughest fight since World War II against the Iran-backed Houthis

The US Navy It has been ready for decades to fight back Soviet Unionand then against Russia And China, among the navigable waterways of the world. But instead of being a global power, the Navy Locked in battle with a shadowy rebel group with support Iran And basically Yemen.

The U.S.-led campaign against Houthi rebels has become the most intense naval battle the Navy has faced since World War II, its leaders and experts told the agency. AP.

Facing the war mission Navy A seemingly inexhaustible supply of drones, missiles and other weapons must be kept open against a group whose former arsenal is assault rifles and pickup trucks. “Almost daily attacks by the Houthis since November have targeted more than 50 ships”Vessel volume has decreased in the important corridor of Red Sea This leads to Suez Canal And The Mediterranean Sea.

The Houthis say the attacks were carried out to end the war in Gaza and to support the PalestiniansThey occur when trying to strengthen their position Yemen. All indications are that the war will escalate, putting American sailors, their allies and merchant ships at greater risk..

“I don’t think people really understand how serious what we’re doing and how much of a threat ships are still under,” USS Laboon commander Eric Blomberg said during a visit to his warship in the Red Sea.

“We only have to make one mistake,” he said. “The The Houthis They have to achieve.”

The speed of fire can be seen on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, where the paint around the hatches of its missile pods burned away from repeated launches. Their sailors sometimes have A few seconds for the Houthis to confirm the launch, confer with other ships and fire the barrage of missiles. Incoming that can approach or exceed the speed of sound.

“It’s every day, every hour, some of our ships have been here for over seven months,” the captain said. David WroeCommodore in charge of guided missile destroyers.

On January 9, the Houthis shot down 18 drones, two anti-ship missiles, and a ballistic missile from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower from the aircraft carrier Laboon, along with other ships and an F/A-18 aircraft carrier.

Almost every day, except for a lull during the Muslim holy month of fasting, RamadanThe Houthis launch missiles, drones or some other form of attack Red SeaHe Gulf of Aden And this Bab El-Mandeb Strait It connects waterways. and separate Africa of In the Arabian Peninsula.

The Navy He experienced the times of war”Tanker Wars” from the 1980s Persian Gulf, but they mostly involve minesweepers. Houthi attacks have included direct attacks on commercial and warships.

“It was the longest war the US Navy had ever seen. After World War II, of course,” said Brian Clark, a former Navy submariner and senior colleague at Hudson. “We’re on the brink of the Houthis being able to launch attacks that the U.S. can’t stop forever, and then we’ll start to see significant damage. “If you let this derail, the Houthis will become a very capable, skilled and experienced force.”

While Eisenhower often seems far away, destroyers like Laboon spend six days out of seven near or outside Yemen, a “weapons blockade zone” in Navy parlance.

Naval battles Middle East Something more dangerous, though Navy Good taste. In 1987, Iraqi warplanes fired missiles USS StarkA warship that patrols Persian Gulf During the war between Iran And IraqKilling 37 sailors and nearly sinking the ship.

There is more USS ColeAttacked by suicide bombers in 2000 Al Qaeda Aboard a ship during a refueling stop in a port city Aden, Yemen17 passengers died in it. Journalists from AP Cole was spotted patrolling the Red Sea with Laboon on WednesdayThe same day the Houthis launched a drone attack on a merchant ship that disabled the vessel.

Rear Admiral Mark Mikuscommander Navy For you Carrier Strike Group TwoThis includes Eisenhower And support ships, said Navy It also took down an underwater drone launched by the Houthis during the campaign.

“We are now very confident that Iran is providing not only financial support, but also intelligence support,” Mikuz said. “We know the Houthis are trained to attack US ships and warships.”

When asked that Navy I believed that Iran Selecting targets for the Houthis, Mikuz simply said “together with“In between Tehran and rebels. He also pointed out Iran Arming the Houthis continues in defiance of sanctions UN It prevents arms transfer to them.

Iran’s delegation to the United Nations said AP Tehran is “capable of countering the US strategy, which not only strengthens (the Houthis) but also ensures compliance with relevant resolutions.”

The danger is not only in the water. The A US-led campaign Conducted numerous air raids against the positions The Houthis Inside Yemenincluding what Our army Described as radar stations, launch sites, weapons depots and other locations. A round of American and British attacks He May 30 At least killed 16 peopleA deadly attack approved by the rebels.

Flight crews Eisenhower They fired more than 350 bombs and fired 50 missiles at propaganda targets, the captain said. Marvin Scott, oversees all aircraft in the fleet. Meanwhile, the The Houthis Apparently they’ve dropped a lot MQ-9 Reaper drones with surface-to-air missile systems.

“We’ve also significantly reduced the Houthis’ ground-to-air capabilities, but they’re still there, they’re still there.”Scott said. “We are always ready for the Houthis to shoot us”.

Officials admit to some complaints among their crews and wonder why Navy Does not attack with too much force The Houthis. The White House The Houthi campaign has not been discussed at the same level as the negotiations on the inter-war Israel And Hamas.

There are many possible reasons. The US has been trying to indirectly reduce tensions with Iran, especially after Tehran launched a massive drone and missile attack on Israel.

Meanwhile, there are the Houthis. The rebel group has fought a sprawling war with the Saudi-led coalition to a stalemate that has killed more than 150,000 people, including civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.

That America Fight directly The Houthis This is something that the leaders of the Zaydi Shia group probably want. Their motto has long been “God is great; Death to America; Death to Israel; Curse the Jews; Victory to Islam”. War America And openly siding with the Palestinians is absorbing The Middle East appreciates the rebels.

when America and its European partners patrol the waterways, Saudi Arabia It has been largely silent on seeking peace accords with The Houthis. Reports suggest that some countries Middle East have heard America Do not attack The Houthis From its territory, it does Eisenhower’s existence Still need to criticize. Deployment aircraft carrierIts crew has only made one port call since their deployment a week later Hamas attacks Israel on October 7.

Meanwhile, the Houthi attacks Maritime transport in the region continues to be sluggish. Egypt’s revenue from the Suez Canal, a key source of foreign currency for its struggling economy, has halved since the attacks began.. Andhra journalists saw a single commercial vessel plying the once-busy waterway.

(With information from AP)