Israel-Hamas war: Houthi claims to target 2 Israeli ships, US vessel & warship

Red Sea a vital artery for global trade has become an unexpected battleground. Yemen's Houthi rebels, long locked in a brutal civil war, are escalating their attacks on US Navy ships patrolling the region. Our next report tells you how low-cost drones are being neutralized by million-dollar missiles. "We are going to use the most effective means at our disposal to cut off the Houthi financial resources," the designation of the Houthis as a specially designated global terrorist in between Israel and Iran, risking a direct confrontation and the assault on Gaza continuing. 

The Red Sea remains on the boil. Is the future in West Asia changing gears? The fear of Gaza War escalating even further is increasing. In the last 24 hours, US forces shot down 11 drones fired by the Houthi rebels over the Red Sea following a series of Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in October 2023. The US deployed a naval contingent to the Red Sea; however, the Houthis seem undeterred. It's not commercial ships but the Yemen-based rebels who are now increasingly targeting American warships.

High-tech warships designed to dominate conventional battles struggle against a swarm of low-cost agile drones. The Houthis, with their asymmetrical tactics, are exploiting this mismatch. Their rudimentary drones, potentially adapted from commercially available models, pack enough punch to disrupt operations and inflict psychological damage. The US response focused on airstrikes against Houthi bases has yielded limited results. The US, along with the UK, has launched four rounds of joint coalition strikes since January 11 to pressure the Houthis to stop attacking commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea. The rebels seem adept at dispersing and reconstituting their drone capabilities. Also, the vast expense of deploying advanced weaponry against these low-cost threats raises serious questions about the sustainability of the current strategy. Experts say the US may also need to re-evaluate its overall strategy in the region, as military solutions alone may not be enough. The Red Sea standoff is a stark reminder that the future of warfare is not solely about big-ticket battleships and fighter jets; low-cost, readily available drones are changing the game. Bureau report, We On World. For all the latest news, download the We On app and subscribe to our YouTube channel.