Yemen et Irak - Phase 2 de la résistance

The Resistance Begins Phase 2 – Yemen & Iraq Part 1 (of a 2 Part Series)

Due to the length of time that has passed since last updating the Yemen file, we have written a report on events around Yemen and its impact on the Gaza conflict. In order to make it easier for the reader, we have broken this article into 2 parts and into sub-sections. This has been done to make it easy for the reader to follow events in a simple chronological manner. Enjoy.

1. UK & US attack Yemen

2. The 4th phase begins

3. Yemen & Iraq

4. Drone warfare

5. Yemen Targets NATO warships

6. New Weapons systems

7. Yemen busts western spy-ring

8. Response to Saudi-Emirate aggression

9. Yemen-Russia link

Yemen has imposed a naval blockade on all ships delivering goods to Israeli ports in the Red Sea, Arab Sea, Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean – in support of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza. It has also been striking US and British warships in response to a violent campaign of airstrikes launched by Washington and London against Yemen in January. The Armed Forces of Yemen’s Sanaa government launched its first attack against Israel on 19 October, eleven days after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October. Several Yemeni cruise missiles and drones were fired toward Israel, and the US Department of Defense said at the time that it intercepted eight drones and three missiles.

The second Yemeni attack was launched on 27 October, and the third on 31 October. The Yemeni army released its first official statement after the third attack. “Our armed forces launched a large batch of ballistic and winged missiles and a large number of drones at various targets of the Israeli enemy in the occupied territories. The Yemeni Armed Forces confirm that this operation is the third operation in support of our oppressed brothers in Palestine, and confirm that they will continue to carry out more qualitative strikes with missiles and drones until the Israeli aggression stops,” Sanaa’s forces said at the time.

By 19 November, the Yemeni army had launched numerous drone and missile attacks on Israel’s southern port city of Eilat and had seized one Israeli-linked ship – Galaxy Leader – marking the start of the Yemeni blockade on Israeli-linked or Israel-bound vessels in the Red and Arab Seas.

Similar attacks ensued in rapid fire, with further statements from the Yemeni military that it would “continue to carry out qualitative strikes with missiles and drones until the Israeli aggression stops.” One month later, amidst Tel Aviv’s worsening carnage in Gaza; Sanaa commenced its targeting of Israeli-linked and destined shipping vessels in the Red Sea, effectively blocking their passage through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Strategic Waterways

For years, the U.S. military has played a central role in the Red Sea, a large waterway between northeastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula that facilitates regional commerce. This is a vital shipping route, accounting for nearly 15 percent of all seaborne trade. It facilitates commerce between Europe and Asia, enabling commercial ships to save time by passing through the Middle East rather than taking a longer route around Africa.

The Red Sea is also a major artery for the world’s oil and natural gas. Significant amounts of oil from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and other countries in the Persian Gulf are routed through the Red Sea to markets in Asia, Europe, and North America. Overall, the Red Sea accounts for 12 percent of global trade in liquefied natural gas and 12 percent of seaborne trade in oil.

Of particular concern to U.S. officials is the Bab al-Mandab, a strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. Only 18 miles wide at its narrowest point, the strait forms a chokepoint that forces commercial vessels into tight shipping lanes. As of early 2023, an estimated 12 % of global trade passed through the Bab al-Mandab every day, making it one of the world’s most significant chokepoints. The US, joined by the 2 Rothschild countries Britain and France, has initiated “maritime security mission” in response to Yemen’s armed forces against Israel-bound commercial vessels, in vital shipping lanes. The Rockefeller Rothschild coalition, despite its show of force, faces challenges, with Sanaa showing no signs of backing down. The operational costs of intercepting low-cost rockets, missiles and drones ($20 k) with high-cost missiles ($2 million) are amongst a worrying point among senior Pentagon officials about the effectiveness of the mission.

This renewed naval focus serves as a stark departure from Britain’s 1967 withdrawal from the region known as ‘East of Suez’ – a move considered symbolic in the decline of the British Empire. In the late 1960s, Britain fought Yemeni nationalist and were humiliatingly defeated- in what the British called the “Darfur Rebellion”.

Saudi Arabia conducted a 7-year long war against Yemen (2015-2022). British intelligence ran secret dialogues to coerce Yemenis into accepting an iniquitous UN peace plan to end Saudi Arabia’s devastating air war against Sanaa. Both American and British military and intelligence assets were helping Saudi Arabia, including providing ISR and targeting solutions. After all of that, the Houthis were able to defeat this Saudi-UAE-US-British alliance. With Houthi’s resilience against neocolonial pressures, coupled with the failure of such psychological tactics, the stage is set for a conflict with potentially far-reaching consequences – an unsettling prospect.

1. The US & UK Attack Yemen

When the Houthis captured a ship heading to Israeli ports, this put great anxiety within the ruling elite in the West. After several more attacks and warnings, the 2 families decided to send a naval force to the Red Sea to act as a deterrent for further attacks on Israeli shipping. But, it would prove to be a huge mistake.

Then, Britain and the United States pounded several targets in rebel-held Yemen overnight over a dramatic three-hour period, after weeks of attacks on Red Sea shipping vessels. The strikes saw over 100 missiles launched at more than 60 targets across 16 locations in Yemen, including an airbase, airports and a military camp. A salvo of missiles was launched by fighter jets, warships and a submarine in a retaliatory move targeting Houthi infrastructure across Yemen, in what represents a massive escalation in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, four British fighter jets and a refueling tanker lifted off from the Akrotiri air base in Cyprus and flew the 2,400kms to join US forces in carrying out the precision strikes across Yemen over a three-hour period. The British jets struck first, blasting two different locations at around 11.30pm Thursday local time. Three hours later, the US missiles struck their targets. At least five people were killed in the strikes, the Houthis said. Two subsequent attacks were launched by the US on Yemen.

Within the leadership of the Houthis, there is a big relief. They are thanking God for the direct intervention of the British and American against them. They say: “Our Great Creator, we thank You for answering our prayers. For many years we have been fighting these 2 devils through their proxies. Now, at last, we can face them directly – thank You for granting us the chance to fight them DIRECTLY”. Or, something along those lines. These 2 – the US and Britain – don’t realize that they have opened up the gates of hell. The US and its tiny isolated rabble of servile ‘allies’ attacked Yemen in an absolutely impotent strike that did nothing and will have no effect whatsoever on Yemen’s continued blockade of the Red Sea.

Russia launched over 7500 missiles at Ukraine—a country that has most of its infrastructure out ‘in the open’, and many people regard Ukraine as hardly having been industrially attritioned after 2 years of such continued bombardment. Now imagine what a measly pittance of 70-100 aging Tomahawk missiles is going to do to a country with highly decentralized military structures spread across the deserts. In short: nothing.

NATO’s 3 month long 24/7 bombardment of Serbia destroyed a whopping dozen tanks and could only degrade air-defense by 50%. Without boots on the ground, US’s failed coalition can do nothing to Yemen—and they’re not going to put boots on the ground so the strikes can only be regarded as a feeble ‘warning’ toward Iran, which will only inspire hearty guffaws in Tehran.

The world can see the US terror regime has no clothes. It looks increasingly weak. A decrepit regime led by a senile president and debilitated secretary of state, launching illegal massacres from their nursing homes and hospital beds against the poorest nation on earth—virtually on the same day as their own bloc ally faced genocide and crimes against humanity charges at The Hague. You can’t make this up: the optics has never been worse for the Empire of Lies. That’s not to mention the fact that US apparently took losses and is now trying to cover them up after Houthis forces claimed to have downed a US plane as well as hit a ship: The “plane” was at least in part corroborated, though it appeared to be a heavy-class drone.

In light of these Yemeni operations, the United States is attempting to pressure Yemen due to its popular and official stance, which includes exerting pressure on the humanitarian front. The number of targeted ships has now reached 145, all connected to the Israeli occupation, the United States, and Britain. The Houthis have now placed America, British, Israeli, German and French commercial ships on notice that their ships are now a legitimate target for the Houthis.

Also on May 2, Houthi leader revealed that his group has launched a total of 156 attacks against Israeli-affiliated ships as well as at the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat since the start of the Israeli war on the Palestinian Gaza Strip. The US Defense Intelligence Agency revealed that the Yemeni Resistance has conducted no fewer than 185 attacks on US naval vessels, coalition ships, and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 19th till June 20th. “The attacks against ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean were carried out with 606 ballistic and winged missiles and drones,” Abdulmalik al-Houthi said in a televised speech aired by al-Masirah TV, adding a total of 111 attacks has been carried out against Israeli targets in Eilat. According to al-Houthi, the U.S.-led coalition has launched 460 strikes on Houthi targets since January, killing about 100 people and wounding 65 others. Despite taking some losses, the capabilities of the Houthis were not degraded.

Gaza.

Imposing a maritime blockade of Israel

The 1st Phase was hitting Israel itself, mainly the port of Eilat.

The 2nd phase was hitting ships linked to, or delivering goods to Israel.

The 3rd phase was hitting ships in the Indian Ocean, and which are going around Cape Town.

The 4th phase was hitting ships in the eastern Mediterranean on the way to Israeli ports.

This marked Yemen’s first phase of a meticulously planned series of naval operations. The second phase saw a broader prohibition, blocking ships from any country from approaching Israeli ports – a waterway siege, just as Yemen has endured for eight long years. Sanaa’s scope of operations then broadened in the third phase to include the targeting Israeli vessels navigating the much longer Cape of Good Hope route – around the African continent – to deliver goods to the occupation state.

With regard to the economic toll on Israel from the Houthis’ repeated attacks on the international shipping lines, the leader said that the “prices of food and medicine in Israel have been increasing due to our attacks on the ships.”

2. The 4th Phase Begins

But as Israel’s threats to invade and bombard Rafah intensified in late April, Sanaa announced the start of a fourth phase of escalation, a significant ramp-up in their military response. The Yemeni armed forces announced on 3 May the start of the “of escalation against Israel and in support of Palestine, threatening to target Israeli-linked ships “anywhere within our reach.”

The range of operations has now come to include ships transiting the Mediterranean Sea.

Sanaa highlights in a statement that the naval blockade which have successfully locked Israel out of the Red Sea, will expand to the Mediterranean Sea. “We will target any ship heading to Israeli ports in the Mediterranean, in any area we are able to reach,” Saree said.

Given that the eastern Mediterranean is 1,900 kilometers from Yemen, this may indicate that the conflict area is broadening, triggering a new escalation of the multi-month war. This phase will target Israeli ships or those heading to Israeli ports in the Mediterranean, and impose comprehensive sanctions on all vessels linked to companies that frequent the occupied state’s ports. Furthermore, the measures will be applied to all shipping vessels and companies that deliver goods to Israel, regardless of their final destinations. This effectively bars them from all Yemeni operational waterways.

The declaration of this fourth phase is a clear signal of widening the conflict zone to include the Mediterranean and tightening the siege on Israel, which economically depends on sea trade. It poses a renewed challenge to Tel Aviv and its allies, increasing pressure, particularly on Washington and its European partners.

The Yemeni “circle of fire” – its maritime reach – now encompasses the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. On land, Sanaa’s focus is on impacting Israel’s geographic depth, particularly its southern regions which abut the Red Sea.

An increasing number of global shipping companies are suspending shipments through the Red Sea amid attacks by the Yemeni naval forces. This, in particular, happened after the United States announced the creation of a “military alliance to counter attacks,” which raised questions about how successful it would be and whether it was legitimate in the first place. More and more companies are notifying all vessels that plan to pass through the Bab-El-Mandeb Strait to suspend their voyages until further notice.

The attack by the West on Yemen has now made this area into a “war zone”. That means for any western-linked ship sailing through the Red Sea will now face insurance rates that would make this journey not profitable. The companies are reportedly making journeys around Africa instead, which usually increases a ship’s distance by almost 5,000 kilometers. It may take an additional 14 days for the shipment to reach its destination, and increase the cost of delivery for consumers. War risk insurance premiums are on the rise naturally, but as vessels get re-routed around Africa shipping supply will be tighter, as cargoes travel longer, would put rates under a strong upwards pressure. For ships heading to (the Israel regime) from Asia, the route around Africa is significantly longer — about 7,000 nautical miles and 10-14 days longer – than via the Suez Canal. This route also incurs higher fuel and labor costs.

This extended journey will also have the effect of using up-to 500,000 barrels of oil per day. It is the equivalent of OPEC cutting production by 500,000 barrels per day. This is asymmetric warfare at its best.

The cost of shipping goods to the Israeli regime by sea has risen in recent days as some container lines shut down while others impose new surcharges, increasing pressure on Tel Aviv’s supply chain amid its merciless war with Gaza. The Israeli regime, whose economy depends on maritime trade, has not yet disclosed whether it will cover additional transportation costs.

Experts noted that just as Houthis attacked commercial tankers heading for Israeli ports, the movement also attacked American and British warships with drones and missiles. It will be very difficult for the US-led alliance to stop the Houthis attacks.

US and UK warplanes carried out intense airstrikes targeting several Yemeni provinces on 30 May, destroying civilian infrastructure, killing 16 people, and injuring 41 more. US and UK warplanes launched several airstrikes on Hodeidah International Airport in western Yemen on 12 July.

“American and British fighter jets launched five raids on various Ansarallah sites in the Ras Issa area, which includes an oil berth affiliated with the port of Al-Salif, north of Hodeidah,” a local source in the western Hodeidah province told on 11 July. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that it destroyed five uncrewed vessels and three drones belonging to the Ansarallah resistance movement on 11 July in the Red Sea and in “a Houthi controlled area of Yemen.” Nearly every week, American and British war planes launch bombing raids on Yemen, especially its harbors, TV stations, airports and other infrastructure, but these are mere pinpricks for a nation that has suffered nearly a decades’ worth of bombing. The Houthis are used to sustaining heavy airstrikes and know the US won’t escalate because it won’t want to put boots on the ground or further inflame regional tensions. This now makes the Houthis the victim-heroes, the heroic martyrs, they have no real reason to stop – and have a high tolerance for casualties.

As part of the operation, warships from France, Great Britain, Germany and the United States are positioned throughout the southern Red Sea. They have been reinforced by the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, which is located in the Gulf of Aden.

Yemeni operations have prompted 29 major energy and shipping companies to change their shipping routes in order to avoid being targeted. As a result, container shipping in the Red Sea has plummeted by 90% since December 2023.

The US has now classified the Houthis as a “terrorist “entity. In response to the decision, the head of the movement’s Negotiating Envoy and top official, Mohammad Abdul-Salam said that the classification “is ironically amusing, coming from the global state of terrorism.”

The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) stressed that no non-hostile ships in the Red Sea would be touched unless it is going to the Israeli ports of occupied Palestine. That, however, did not stop London from intervening – at its own expense- launching habitual strikes on Yemen. These British jets take off from the Akrioti base in Cyprus. Britain is today facing the wrath of Yemen after it reignited a hatred that was dormant toward it, and the costly endeavor has driven up spending so much that the British Defense Ministry is seeking money from other government departments to fund the futile onslaught.

In the face of its failure to deter Yemen, Washington recently offered the country “an acknowledgment of its legitimacy” in exchange for its neutrality in the war on Gaza. Washington pledged to repair the damages, remove foreign forces from all occupied Yemeni lands and islands, and remove Ansarallah from the State Department’s ‘terrorism list’ – as soon as they stop their attacks in support of Gaza, according to Yemeni sources.

The offer also included “severely reducing” the role of the Saudi-appointed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and “accelerating the signing of a roadmap” with the Saudi-led coalition to end the nine-year war that has decimated Yemen.

The rapid development of Sanaa’s military capabilities during the ongoing war has positioned Yemen as a pivotal player not only regionally but globally, owing to its strategic position overseeing one of the world’s most crucial maritime passages. Far from being a mere political and military backwater, Yemen has demonstrated far-reaching military capabilities and impressive strategic planning that has confounded the world’s greatest naval powers. Sanaa’s formidable maneuvers in Middle East maritime zones have catapulted it to the forefront of the region’s Axis of Resistance as the member most capable of influencing global maritime security and regional stability.

The Axis of Asymmetry is in full swing. These are the state and non-state actors employing asymmetrical moves on the global chessboard to sideline the US-led western rules-based order. And its vanguard is the Yemeni resistance movement Ansarallah. The IRI has also continued to carry out frequent attacks against since it halted operations against US bases in Iraq and Syria in late January.

3. Yemen & Iraq – Joint Operations Attacking Israel

Yemen has imposed a naval blockade on all ships delivering goods to Israeli ports in the Red Sea, Arab Sea, Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean. It also recently expanded its campaign to include joint operations with the Iraqi resistance.

The Yemeni Armed Forces, in cooperation with the Iraqi Islamic Resistance, carried out a joint military operation targeting an Israeli ship in the port of Haifa, within the occupied Palestinian territories. The Yemeni Armed Forces announced on 6 June that it carried out two joint operations with the Islamic Resistance of Iraq (IRI) coalition, coming just weeks after Yemeni and Iraqi officials vowed to step up coordination.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out two joint military operations with the Islamic Resistance of Iraq … The first targeted two ships that were carrying military equipment in the port of Haifa, and the second targeted a ship that violated our decision to ban entry into the port of Haifa in occupied Palestine,” said Yemeni army spokesman Yahya Saree on Thursday.

“The two operations were carried out with a number of drones, hitting their targets accurately,” Saree added, and confirmed that the Israeli ship MSC Manzanillo was targeted in the port of Haifa with several drones, and the joint its objectives. “The path of joint operations with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq will be important, strategic, and escalating.”

For its part, the Iraqi Islamic Resistance confirmed the execution of a joint military operation with the Yemeni Armed Forces against the same ship. Last month, the leader of Yemen’s Ansarallah movement, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, held a meeting with the chief of Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Hussein al -Hamidawi, during which the two resistance leaders discussed coordinating efforts to confront Israel.

How Yemen & Iraq are “Coordinating”

The Armed Forces of Yemen’s Sanaa government has established a communication and coordination office in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad.

The report comes as there has been a surge in coordination between the Islamic Resistance of Iraq (IRI) and the Yemeni army – which is militarily aligned with Yemen’s Ansarallah resistance movement.

“Talk of Ansarallah opening an office in Iraq recently is not new … coordination between Yemeni forces and the Iraqi resistance is permanent. Therefore, Sanaa is moving towards escalating these types of operations more, in order to strike vital and sensitive targets deep inside the entity during the coming period.”

Sanaa’s forces announced their first joint operation with the IRI on 6 June. The targeted weapons shipments in the port of Haifa. They then announced that month, of targeting vessels in the port of Haifa, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. Several other joint operations between the two prominent members of the Resistance Axis have been announced since then.

“Coordination between Sanaa’s forces and the Iraqi resistance has been ongoing at a high level for months, and communication is taking place on a daily basis,” Aziz Rashid, a military expert close to the defense ministry in Sanaa stated.

Ansarallah leader Abdel Malik al-Houthi said in a speech on 11 July that joint Yemeni–Iraqi operations are ongoing and that several were carried out this week against sensitive targets in Israel. The surge in Yemeni–Iraqi cooperation has raised concern for Saudi Arabia. The joint efforts serve as a warning to Saudi Arabia, which is “standing with Washington in the use of economic measures against commercial and Islamic banks in Sanaa.”

Houthi had said during a speech last week that Washington has sent messages to Ansarallah threatening that it would push Riyadh to take “aggressive measures” against Yemen if it chooses to go on with its pro-Palestine campaign. The Ansarallah leader also confirmed that Saudi–Yemeni peace talks have recently stalled as a result of US obstruction and from Washington. According to Rashid, Yemen’s cooperation with Iraq is a message to the kingdom.

“The message is also directed to Saudi Arabia … it confirms that future operations may not only originate from Sanaa but could be launched from more than one direction and by more than one party,” the military expert said.

4. Drone Warfare – challenging ‘Israel’, US Air Dominance

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon – Hezbollah – and Yemen’s Armed Forces carried out a series of operations downing drones, revealing their enhanced air defense capabilities and tactics, which are now believed to be pushing “Israel” and the United States to review their air operations plans in the region,

Since the outbreak of confrontations between Hezbollah and the Israeli occupation along the Lebanese border, the Israeli occupation force suffered the loss of six medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) and high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) Hermes-450 and Hermes-900 drones to missiles fired by the Resistance in South Lebanon.

During the same period, the United States lost four MQ-9 Reapers over Yemen to Yemeni missiles fired by the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF). On the 15th, Yemen shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper over the country’s Marib province, the fourth drone of its kind shot down by Sanaa’s army.

“The plane was targeted by a locally made surface-to-air missile,” Saree added. The MQ9 is worth around $30 million. The Houthis are absolutely relentless. They have downed a $30 million MQ-9 Reaper drone with just a $10k indigenous missile. They are the first in the Global South ever to use anti-ship ballistic missiles against Israel-bound and/or -protecting commercial and US Navy ships. Those numbers were never seen before by Hezbollah or the Yemeni Armed Forces, and the recent Yemeni downing of an MQ-9 drone as “record-breaking”.

The downing of the drone came a day after the Yemeni army announced two ships in the Red Sea, one of them a US warship- the USS Mason, and hit it with an anti-ship ballistic missile! The first three were shot down on November 14, February 19 and April 25.

Ansarallah has captured one of the US Navy’s ultra-sophisticated autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), the $1.3 million Remus 600, a torpedo-shaped underwater drone able to carry a massive payload of sensors. Next stop: reverse engineering in Iran? The Global South eagerly awaits, ready to pay in currencies bypassing the US dollar.

5. Yemen Targets NATO Warships

On 1 January, the US opened fire on several boats belonging to the Yemeni navy, resulting in the death of ten sailors. This incident was followed on 12 January by the first wave of raids on Yemen. On that day, the Yemeni Armed Forces began to respond, stressing that the aggression “will not go unpunished.”

Sanaa gradually began striking US and British ships in the region, eventually targeting battleships and destroyers according to its capabilities. The responses were not immediate but indicating that Yemen’s armed forces were carefully refining their strategy.

Yemen’s Houthis in late May, launched a missile attack on the US aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea. The attack came in response to US and UK strikes, a day earlier, on the Yemeni provinces of Sanaa, Hodeidah and Taiz. The strikes allegedly targeted civilian infrastructure and resulted in the deaths of 16 people and over 40 wounded. Several missiles struck a Hodeidah radio station building, as well as the area surrounding Al-Thawra Hospital and a Coast Guard headquarters in Port Al-Salib, where several commercial ships were damaged. In response to deadly US airstrikes on Yemen late last month, which killed at least 16 people, Yemen’s Armed Forces announced in a statement that it targeted Washington’s aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.

Sanaa’s forces said they struck the aircraft carrier again on 1 June.

“This represents a clear targeting of civilian objects, a blatant violation of all international laws, and a full-fledged war crime. Therefore, in response to these crimes and the American-British aggression… the Yemeni armed forces carried out a joint military operation targeting the American aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the Red Sea,” YAF spokesman Saree said in his statement.

He claimed that the strike on the US aircraft carrier “was accurate and direct,” but did not give details on damage the vessel suffered. This aircraft carrier was hit three times. It retreated to the port of Jeddah, and flight operations had to be called off due to damage to the ship. It then sailed a further 800 km north! Now, it is returning to its US base. They are the first in the Global South ever to use anti-ship ballistic missiles against Israel-bound and/or -protecting commercial and US Navy ships. Also, it’s the first time in in history, anti-ship ballistic missiles were deployed against seaborne vessels, a qualitative advancement in Ansarallah’s military bag of tricks. It’s also the first time that a US naval warship was attacked since the end of World War 2. For all practical purposes, Ansarallah is at war with no less than the US Navy.

On 1 June, the Yemeni Armed Forces displayed remarkable boldness by targeting the US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea twice within 24 hours. This move, in response to joint US–UK strikes on the country, marks a significant escalation in the Yemeni theater within the broader regional conflict centered on Gaza. Al-Houthi detailed the forces’ operations against the carrier, praising it as “one of the most notable and important operations to be carried out this week.”

The YAF fired seven cruise missiles and four attack drones at the USS Eisenhower. He noted that the vessel had been hit twice within 24 hours. After the strikes, “it [the carrier] retreated towards the northern Red Sea, fearing further targeting by our Armed Forces,” the Houthi leader said.

“The ‘Eisenhower’ was 400 kilometers from the Yemeni coast during the targeting, then moved about 880 kilometers northwest of the Saudi port city of Jeddah,” he remarked.

“The operation to target the ‘Eisenhower’ was successful, and its air traffic halted for two days after the targeting.”

Washington, however, tried to deny that the vessel had been targeted, al-Houthi added, attributing the denial to “their embarrassment and sense of defeat and loss of prestige.” However, “the facts will be revealed no matter how much the Americans try to deny the targeting operations,” he stated. No update was provided on the damage reported to the US Navy flagship, which was forced to flee very far from Saudi Arabia’s main port after the attack. Many of the sailors on the Eisenhower are suffering from shock. They are used to attacking, but never been attacked before. Senior officers say that it was a “running battle, and at close quarters “. They ran out of missiles, and are now deemed “unfit for battle”. The ship arrived back at its US port this week. At the moment there is no confirmation of any deaths or injuries on the ship during the attacks suffered by the Houthis.

Throughout the past period, Sanaa has consistently targeted battleships and destroyers with missiles and drones. Yet the strike on Eisenhower signifies a qualitative leap in the confrontation, regardless of whether the US acknowledges the hit. The aircraft carrier, which serves as a launch-pad for aggressions on Yemen and provides support for Israel’s war on Gaza, was hit again- for the 3rd time – within a space of 24 hours. Additionally, a destroyer was targeted with several missiles and drones, confirming further hits.

Significance of the Eisenhower

Onboard are approximately 90 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters and five thousand personnel, including pilots and sailors who operate and maintain an integrated hospital. The carrier is accompanied by several ships, including a guided-missile cruiser and the guided-missile destroyers Graffley and Mason.

“The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a military operation targeting the American destroyer ‘USS Mason’ in the Red Sea with a number of appropriate naval missiles,” the Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Yahya Saree announced, confirming that the forces achieved accurate hits on USS Mason.

The Yemenis have broadened their strategic objectives, targeting a variety of sources of attacks both at sea and on land, not just commercial vessels and warships. This suggests their plan to target aircraft carriers was a deliberate one, with execution depending on the intensity of the aggression against their country.

The striking of the Eisenhower bears significant implications. Sanaa is undeterred by the increasing level of targets it can engage, showcasing a willingness to take bold actions without hesitation. It demonstrates the audacity to strike targets Washington considers red lines, including aircraft carriers and potentially land-based sites and bases in future stages.

The US Central Command announced the arrival of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group in the 5th Fleet area on July 12, into the 5th Fleet’s area of operations, which includes the Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

The US in Denial

Following the Yemeni military’s announcement confirming the targeting of Eisenhower, the US initially downplayed the event, refraining from commenting.

Since early April, various European naval commanders have thrown their hands up in full public view.

Jerome Henry, commander of France’s Aquitaine-class FREMM frigate Alsace – deployed in the Red Sea for 71 straight days – said on 11 April that his ship had depleted its entire combat arsenal, and while it would head to port to replenish those munitions, would return to the Red Sea.

“We didn’t necessarily expect this level of threat. There was an uninhibited violence that was quite surprising and very significant. The Yemenis do not hesitate to use drones that fly at water level, to explode them on commercial ships, and to fire ballistic missiles , we had to carry out at least half a dozen assistances following Yemeni strikes,” Henry told French publication Le Figaro.

Also in early April, Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, the Greek commander of the EU’s Operation Aspides, stated that his mission would not succeed with only three warships available to protect shipments through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Since “the launch of the Operation Aspides on 19 February 2024 until now, the threat level remains the same,” lamented Gryparis.

Yemeni Brigadier-General Shamsan points out that the US defense system failures, and growing risks faced by the anti-Yemen naval coalitions, have “forced it and its allies to withdraw more than 18 ships from the theater of operations, as the number of American ships that left reached 10, while eight ships belonging to European tools left.”

Yemeni Boldness and US Future Calculations

Although the daring move by the Yemeni Armed Forces may surprise some, it is worth noting that the boldness demonstrated by Yemen since its decision to support the Palestinian resistance indicates that nothing can be ruled out by Sanaa’s decision-makers.

Consequently, US calculations must account for this unpredictability in any future hostile steps toward Yemen. The goal remains to restore sovereignty over all Yemeni territory by land and sea.

The most critical aspect of this operation is its impact on US deterrence. The strike undermines the perceived invincibility of US military power, which could affect Washington’s interests, the presence of its forces in the region, and its relations with allies.

The US fully recognizes the erosion of its deterrent power and understands that losing it may have far-reaching consequences. In response, the Americans seek to implement circumvention policies, such as building regional alliances through normalization between Israel and Arab countries and possibly fostering more conflicts.

The Houthis have agreed to end their attacks on commercial traffic in the Red Sea if Israel allows the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. This is not just a reasonable proposal; it’s a policy that is supported by the vast majority of people around the world.

The Houthis have proven to be a wily and formidable foe. Seven months after rounds of US-led coalition airstrikes to “disrupt and degrade” their capabilities, the militants continue to wreak havoc. The Houthis have managed to drag Washington into a prolonged, expensive, resource-depleting conflict and driven shipping costs much higher.

There were plenty of skeptics who knew the Biden strategy had no chance of succeeding, but their voices were drowned-out by the armchair warriors who always set the policy. These are the senior members of the foreign policy establishment who invariably ignore the facts and charge ahead with their “shoot first and ask questions later” philosophy. In the present case, these tenacious uber-hawks simply couldn’t accept that an upstart force of sandal-clad militants could deliver a blow to US interests by launching missile and drone attacks on merchant ships protected by US destroyers. But that is precisely what happened and Washington was warned that such a result was likely. Unfortunately, all of the capable, sober-minded realists who once played a role in shaping US foreign policy have long-since been replaced by armchair warriors who reflexively respond to every crisis with the same counterproductive application of military force;

“…the United States will not allow foreign or regional powers to jeopardize freedom of navigation through the Middle East’s waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al Mandab, nor tolerate efforts by any country to dominate another—or the region—through military buildups, incursions, or threats.”

There you have it: The Houthis represent a clear and present danger to US national security by merely asserting control over their own territorial waters. Does that mean escalation is inevitable?

It does. The excerpt above is tantamount to a declaration of war.

By the way, Biden’s naval operation—Operation Prosperity Guardian—was never approved by the UN Security Council, the US Congress or the American people. It is another unilateral, fly-by-night intervention that precludes a diplomatic solution and guarantees the US will face another humiliating defeat at the hands of its enemies sometime in the future. Here’s more from energy studies fellow Jim Krane who helps explain the global impact of the Houthi attacks: Okay, let’s summarize: Houthi attacks on the Red Sea have…

Created new opportunities for non-state actors to conduct asymmetric warfare on conventional armed forces.

Imposed targeted economic sanctions on backers of Israeli genocide

Re-oriented trade between Asia and Europe in a way that provides competitive advantages for Chinese and Russian shippers

Helped the Houthis succeed in meeting their objective of imposing costs on supporters of Israel

Added supply chain costs have negatively impacted already pessimistic economic forecasts for the European Union, the US and Egypt… dampening the prospects for growth.

Set the stage for the expansion of Houthi operations beyond the Red Sea to the broader Arabian Sea , Mediterranean Seas and the Indian Ocean.

Which of these outcomes advance US interests or strengthen US national security?

None of them, which is why we will ask a second question: Do the people who make these short-sighted decisions ever wonder about the impact their choices have on the country or on the American people? Probably, not.

And, please, let’s not blame the Houthis for a conflict for which the Biden administration is 100 percent responsible. No one put a gun to Joe Biden’s head and forced him to deploy the US Navy to the Red Sea to engage in pointless fracas in order to defend Israel’s right to murder women and children in Gaza.

That’s a decision that Biden made unilaterally while disregarding the groundswell of international condemnation, the blistering rulings of the ICC and the ICJ and virtually every human rights organization on Planet Earth. Biden chose to ignore the moral judgement of the entire world to promote the sordid agenda of the Jewish state. That’s on him! In contrast, the Houthis are just doing their bit to stop Israel’s genocide. They weren’t itching for a war with the United States. That’s not it at all. They’re just trying to get the Israelis to lift their blockade, so more people don’t die of starvation. Is that too much to ask?

Here’s how Houthi leader Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti summed it up: “Taking action to support the oppressed… is a true test of morality… and whoever does not take action to stop the crime of genocide… has lost his humanity. Moral values do not change with the race and religion of the person… If another group of humans were subjected to the injustice that the Palestinians are subjected to, we would take action to support them, regardless of their religion and race.”

Al-Bukhaiti’s statement might sound odd to people in the West who find it hard to believe that any leader would put moral convictions above their own self-interest or accumulation of more power. But that’s what energizes the Houthi movement; their determination to put their religious beliefs into practice. The Houthis have nothing to gain by fighting the United States.

They are doing it because they oppose the sadistic brutality and homicidal violence of the IOF. That’s why they have put themselves at risk of serious injury or death. It’s because they believe it is the ‘right thing to do’; because justice is worth dying for, and because –as Al-Bukhaiti says—Taking action to support the oppressed is the true test of morality.

Ironically, the views of the world’s people align more closely with those of the Houthis than they do with their own government. The majority of the people around the world support justice for the Palestinians, support a sovereign Palestinian state, support a permanent ceasefire, and support an end to the violence and bloodshed. It is only Washington, Britain, France and Israel that want the bloodbath to continue.

6. New Weapon Systems

The Hatem-2 Hypersonic Missile

On June 26, Yemen’s Houthi launched an attack on a commercial ship- the MSC Sarah- in the Arabian Sea using a long-range, solid-fuel hypersonic ballistic missile. It was the first time the group had used the state-of-the-art missile in its military operations. The significance of the development cannot be overstated. Hypersonic missiles—which feature technological advances that are still unavailable in the West—are more accurate, harder to shoot down, and travel longer distances than earlier models. These unique, cutting-edge weapons are a force-multiplier that gives the Houthis a decided advantage in future attacks in the Red Sea and beyond. They will allow the Houthis to tighten their grip on commercial traffic while putting US warships at greater risk. They will also significantly improve the Houthis chances of prevailing in their war with the United States and its coalition partners.

The ability to launch highly maneuverable weapons at hypersonic speeds gives any country a considerable advantage, because such weapons can evade just about any defense system currently in use.

“It doesn’t matter what the threat is. If you can’t see it, you can’t defend against it,” General John Hyten, the former vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told an audience in Washington in January 2020. As the commander of U.S. Strategic Command in 2018, Hyten said, “We don’t have any defense that could deny the deployment of such a weapon against us. … Our defense is deterrent capability.”

The revelation places Yemen among an elite group of states that possess such advanced weaponry, highlighting Sanaa’s unexpected advancement in military technology despite almost a decade of war. The deployment of the Hatem-2 missile is not just a demonstration of technological prowess but a complex signal to various international actors.

The presence of such advanced technology in Yemen complicates the strategic calculations of the US and its allies, who must now contend with a more capable and unpredictable adversary. By integrating hypersonic missiles and other sophisticated technologies, such as the Toofan which sunk the Tutor vessel in the Red Sea, Yemen’s resilience is also a testament to the country’s ability to adapt and innovate under extreme conditions. Yemen’s hypersonic missiles are not merely a technical achievement for Sanaa; they are best understood as a strategic maneuver that alters the balance of power in favor of the Axis of Resistance.

*The screenshot captured from a video released by Yemen’s Houthi group on June 26, 2024 shows that a hypersonic missile is launched from an undisclosed desert area in Yemen.*

At the same time, there are reports from Sanaa of a series of attacks on ships in the Mediterranean and Red Seas. It is reported that the Yemeni armed forces, together with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, attacked the oil ship “WALER” in the Mediterranean Sea with the help of several drones. There are also reports of a missile attack on the American ship Delonix in the Red Sea, as well as the defeat of the Johannes Maersk ship in the Mediterranean Sea using a cruise missile. In addition, an operation was carried out in the Red Sea against the ship Ioannis, which was attacked by several unmanned surface boats.

Almost every week, commercial ships are being attacked and struck by rockets, missiles and drones. Whenever Western warships or fighter jets attack Yemen, the response is immediate, in that, these same warships are then struck by Yemen’s missiles and drones and drone boats.

And nine months on, the disruption to shipping has suddenly gotten a lot worse. In late June, Houthi attacks sank a ship—the second since they began their attacks—and damaged another. The list of attempted and successful attacks is a year-to-date litany; U.S. Central Command’s public messaging is a near-daily drumbeat of reports of U.S. vessels swatting away drones, missiles, and uncrewed surface vessels. The Houthis, who’ve used anti-ship missiles to great effect, are now increasingly resorting to those surface drones, including the so-called Houthi’s Blowfish. The deployments, and constant interceptions, have eaten into the U.S. Navy’s own magazines. Congressional aides said the United States isn’t producing nearly enough of the standard air defense missiles used by U.S. escort ships in the Red Sea to shoot down Houthi drones and missiles. “As long as the burn rate remains as precipitously high as it’s been over there, we’re in a bit more of a precarious position,” one aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk candidly about U.S. munitions shortfalls.

The Toofan

Some of the incidents have also revealed dangerous new tactics. Most notably, on June 12, the Houthis struck a commercial vessel in the Red Sea with an explosive-laden drone boat for the first time since they began attacking merchant shipping in November…. a suicide drone boat targeting a ship in the Red Sea, equipped with a camera on its nose. The initial drone boat attack on the commercial bulk carrier MV Tutor caused flooding and damage to the engine room. Hours later, a Houthi missile hit the ship. The double-tap strike forced the crew to abandon the vessel, and it eventually sank six days after the attacks. The attacks mark the first successful usage of a USV and the second sinking by the Houthis in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have a track record of developing and utilizing USV’s dating back to the mid-2010s. They have attempted multiple attacks using these aircraft since October last year, but only struck a ship for the first time when they successfully hit the MV tutor.

The same week, the Houthis fired two anti-ship missiles, hitting the MV Verbena in the Gulf of Aden. Not even 24 hours later, the bulk cargo carrier was struck by another missile, marking the week’s second double-tap strike. The ship’s crew eventually abandoned the vessel due to the damage sustained by the attacks.

When asked if any US navy warship had ever fought a battle like this before, the commander of the USS Carney, Robertson responded, “Not since World War II. It’s been a really long time.”

“You’re looking at something that’s coming at you at Mach 5, Mach 6. The watch standers have anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds to engage,” Robertson said, referring to the speed at which the Yemeni projectiles were fired. The USS Carney itself was targeted by a Yemeni ballistic missile in late January. Washington said it was able to shoot the missile down. The Yemenis began attacking that month in response to the violent campaign of US and UK airstrikes on Yemen that started in mid-January.

“This is the most sustained combat that the US has seen since World War II – easily, no question,” former US Navy submariner Bryan Clark said in June.

In truth, the success of the Houthi strategy is largely attributable to the fact that it has been mostly peaceful which is why their cause has garnered support from people around the world. If they change their MO and start blowing ships out of the water right-and-left, popular support will vanish overnight.

What’s clear is that the US has just one tool in its foreign policy toolkit: military force. And when that tool proves ineffective, then more force is applied.

As a result, the US is bogged down in another pointless conflagration that cannot be won by conventional means.

The story continues in Part 2 ….

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