The US military has already spent about $1 billion in countering deadly attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, according to a recent US intelligence report.
American warships have spent a great deal of munitions to intercept Houthi drones and missiles targeting civilian and military ships in retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza.
But the document seen by Axios claimed that while many Houthi attacks have missed their targets or been intercepted, the militant group appears undeterred.
“Houthi stockpiles appear nowhere near exhausted, even as sporadic US and UK strikes against them continue,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank.
The assessment is contrary to a previous statement by US Air Forces Central Commander Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who said the Iran-backed rebels appeared to be running low on drones and anti-ship ballistic missiles.
He based this analysis on the lower frequency of Houthi attacks in the first quarter of 2024.
Costly Counter-Attacks
Earlier this year, Pentagon undersecretary for acquisition William LaPlante hinted that the cost of countering Houthi attacks in the Red Sea was increasing.
He said at a defense conference that efforts to take out hostile drones exceed $100,000 per shot.
Even the Yemeni group had mocked its American adversary, saying Washington is launching $2 million defense missiles to stop $2,000 Houthi drones.
Because of this, the US military is being urged to find alternative counter-attack solutions that only cost tens of thousands of dollars per shot.
Recent Attack
Last week, the Houthi group attacked a Liberian-flagged bulk cargo carrier traversing the Southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The strike killed a Filipino sailor and wounded another from Sri Lanka.
US National Security Advisor John Kirby said the vessel had just completed a port call in Russia and was bound for Egypt when the attack happened.
He also noted that the merchant vessels and their crew had “nothing to do with the conflict in Gaza.”
In response, the US military unleashed a wave of attacks targeting Houthi radar sites to disrupt its ability to track innocent cargo vessels.
