U.S. continues strikes on Houthi assets

Photo: Central Command

As U.S. efforts to neutralize Houthi assets and access to weaponry continue — both on the ground and in the court room, United Kingdom Maritime Operations said today that it had received a report of “an incident” 45 nautical miles southwest of Almukha, Yemen, and that “authorities are investigating.” That came after UKMTO had reported no further Houthi attacks on merchant ships since the August 3 incident in which the MV Groton reported that it had been struck by a missile.

NEW INDICTMENT FILED IN DHOW CASE

With U.S. Central Command strikes on Houthi assets, both in Yemen and at sea, remained ongoing, a superseding indictment was returned yesterday in U.S. District Court for the Central District of Virginia charging two Iranian citizens, brothers Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab) and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunis), and one Pakistani citizen, Muhammad Pahlawan, for offenses related to the January 11 incident in which U.S. Central Command forces operating including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard, boarded an arms-laden dhow off the coast of Somalia. Two Navy SEALs lost their lives during the interdiction.

All three could face life sentences. Pahlawan is currently awaiting trial, while Shahab and Yunus remain at large.

• You can read the indictment HERE

CENTRAL COMMAND STRIKES CONTINUE

The most recent round of U.S. Central Command strikes on Houthi assets began August 3, when its forces successfully destroyed amissile and launcher in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

Then, on August 5, USCENTCOM reported that in the preceding 24 hours its forces had successfully destroyed three uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen over the Gulf of Aden.

Additionally, USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed one Houthi UAS in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

Separately, USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed one Houthi uncrewed surface vessel (USV), one Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) and one Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) in the Red Sea.

On August 6, USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle and two Iranian-backed Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen over the Red Sea.

And yesterday USCENTCOM reported that its forces had destroyed two Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles, one Houthi ground control station, and three Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

While all this is welcome news, what all this tells us is that Houthi attacks are continuing and that the terrorist group seems to have little trouble in laying its hands on a range of weaponry to replace those destroyed. The take away is that the Houthis will likely continue to be a long term problem, with a negative effect on the world economy, and the environment, as owners and charterers continuing to avoid the Suez Canal and taking the longer, more carbon intensive route around the Cape.