The US Navy is not being allowed to go on the offensive.
The Houthis have caused damage to multiple ships, the latest a UK flagged vessel, and shot down two U.S. drones. They’ve managed to deploy an underwater drone in one of their latest attacks.Biden’s campaign of mildly inconveniencing the Houthis, Iranian-backed terrorists in control of much of Yemen, is going well. While Israel’s campaign against Hamas has largely ended the constant rocket attacks from the group, Biden’s pinpoint minimal strikes against the Houthis have not stopped the Islamic terror group’s attacks.
On Feb. 18, U.S. Central Command announced naval forces in the Red Sea destroyed an uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) in Houthi-controlled waters around Yemen. This is the first time that the Houthi Movement has been observed operating UUVs since attacks began last October.
Iran has a long tradition of unconventional naval warfare which has become more refined in recent years. Many of these platforms are now uncrewed, including boats, aerial drones and underwater drones, based on images systems released by the Iranian government. Hamas has also touted its possession of UUVs in Gaza, according to images the armed group released in November as reported by Naval News.
Iran is using the Houthis to test the weapons it plans to use against America. And we’re letting them do it.
“Unmanned surface and subsurface vessels are likely more difficult to detect and destroy than aerial drones and anti-ship missiles. The Houthis are not likely capable of manufacturing these weapons on their own, so they are probably coming from Iran,” Mulroy said.
The unmanned weapons systems are an acute threat, Mulroy said, since they could “overwhelm the ship’s defenses” by attacking from multiple dimensions, a so-called “swarm attack.”
Meanwhile, the Navy’s ability to respond has been crippled by the Biden administration.
On Wednesday, U.S. forces destroyed seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, three aerial drones and one explosive surface drone prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled territory. The four separate strikes conducted over a time span of about 6½ hours were in defense of ships in the Red Sea, the command said.
These aren’t strikes, they’re playing defense because the US Navy is not being allowed to go on the offensive to avoid inflaming the situation.
And so this is the absurd situation.
A US Navy admiral says the conflict against the Houthis in the Red Sea is one of the largest naval battles the US has fought in decades.
“I think you’d have to go back to World War II where you have ships who are engaged in combat,” Vice Adm. Brad Cooper told the “60 Minutes” host Norah O’Donnell in an interview that aired Sunday.
“When I say engaged in combat, where they’re getting shot at, we’re getting shot at, and we’re shooting back,” he continued.
So Operation Earnest Will in the 80s doesn’t count? Reagan at least allowed American forces some leeway for fighting back. Currently, US Navy forces are mainly taking fire while Biden allows Iran to humiliate us. Again.
Barbara says
Every death of US forces is blood on Biden’s head. Every bureaucrat who does not allow the navy to protect themselves is a murderer.
Paul says
Putin intentionally and directly killed an innocent man this week while Biden who intentionally strengthened Iran and the PA caused the October 7th deaths, rapes, hostages etc. etc. indirectly. Unlike Putin, Biden disguises himself as a nice grandfatherly man who went out of his way to go to Israel after the massacre (he caused) to comfort the country. Another S.O.B. !
James Lincoln says
To your point, Paul, October 7th would have never happened under Pres. Trump.