Pentagon Says Houthi Attacks “Fully Enabled by Iran”

by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

“Fully enabled by Iran,” were the words Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh used to describe the recent Houthi missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels and a US Navy warship in the Red Sea.

“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security. They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world. And we also believe these attacks, while launched from — while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran,” Singh told reporters, according to a Pentagon transcript.

Singh described how the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, responded to distress calls from commercial ships in the Red Sea, a move which led to the ship both intercepting Houthi-missiles fired from Yemen and destroying several Houthi-drones on track to possibly attack the USS Carney.

Singh was also clear that the Pentagon could retaliate with military force.

“The United States will continue all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners,” she said.

US Attack? Retaliation? Counterattack? 

The Pentagon’s prevailing strategy throughout the Israeli-Hamas war has been to prevent the conflict from escalating or spreading beyond the current IDF-Hamas war. This may be a reason why, despite the numerous Houthi-attacks at Israel near US and international vessels, the US Navy has performed defensive “intercepts” but not attacked Houthis directly.