- Houthi Attacks Force 75% of US-Flagged Ships to Reroute Away from Suez.
- US Navy Destroyer Attacked 23 Times in the Red Sea, Says Mike Waltz.
- US Military Strikes Houthi Targets Daily Amid Escalating Red Sea Threat.
Ongoing attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea have heavily affected US shipping, and the majority of American-flagged ships are currently avoiding the waterway because of security reasons. As per US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, 75% of US-flagged vessels have been diverted away from the Suez Canal, reports Marine Insight.
US-Flagged Ships Forced to Reroute
“Seventy-five per cent of our US flag shipping now has to go around the southern coast of Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal,” Waltz said during an interview on Face the Nation on Sunday.
This detour around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope nearly doubles the travel time between Europe and Asia, adding approximately $1 million in extra costs per trip, according to LSEG Shipping Research.
US Navy Ships Targeted
The increasing threat has also placed US Navy ships in danger. Waltz disclosed that when the American destroyer last transited the Red Sea, it was attacked 23 times.
On Tuesday, the Houthis took responsibility for attacking the USS Harry S. Truman, a US aircraft carrier in the northern Red Sea with drones and missiles. But, as NBC reports, the attack failed.
US Military Response
As a response to the growing threat, the US military has been carrying out a series of airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. According to Waltz, these attacks have killed influential rebel leaders, including the chief of their missile program, as well as weapon production facilities and drone assembly points.
A US Defense official confirmed that American forces continue to strike Houthi targets “every day and night” in Yemen.
Houthi Rationale and Retaliation Allegations
Despite the US military’s reaction, the Houthis continue to defy, claiming that their strikes on Red Sea vessels are an act of solidarity with Palestinian people in light of the current Gaza conflict.
The organization has also blamed the US for killing more than 50 individuals in recent raids on Yemeni territory.
Political Criticism and US Pledge to Security
Waltz condemned previous US policy, accusing the previous Biden administration of failing to act strongly enough against the Houthis. “The Trump administration and President Trump have decided to do something much harder, much tougher,” Waltz said.
In the meantime, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio talked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday regarding the crisis. In a statement by the State Department, Rubio reiterated the commitment of the US to guaranteeing safe passage through the Red Sea and taking firm action militarily against the Houthis.
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Source: Marine Insight
