Houthis target US fighter jet, drone with SAM missiles for first time
Houthi rebels made headlines on Feb. 19 by firing surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) at a U.S. F-16 fighter jet for the first time, according to three senior U.S. defense officials. The incident took place off the coast of Yemen over the Red Sea, although fortunately the missile did not hit the jet. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing military interactions between the Iranian-backed group and the U.S. Navy and Air Force.
In a separate incident on the same day, the Houthis also targeted an American MQ-9 Reaper drone that was flying over Yemen outside Houthi-controlled areas. This aggressive behavior from the Houthis has raised concerns among U.S. defense officials, prompting a debate on the best approach to counter these attacks.
Under the Biden administration, the U.S. military has been actively defending its warships patrolling the Red Sea and Bab al Mandab Strait. Following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in Israel by Hamas, the Houthi attacks began, leading to increased military actions by the U.S. Central Command to degrade Houthi infrastructure and weapons-storage facilities.
There is now a policy discussion at the highest levels of the U.S. military on the most effective strategy to deal with the Houthis, especially since the Trump administration reinstated the group on the State Department’s terror list. The debate revolves around whether to pursue a traditional counterterrorism approach targeting individuals behind the attacks or to adopt a more defensive stance by focusing on Houthi infrastructure and weapons facilities.
The potential consequences of a Houthi missile hitting a U.S. Navy vessel are a cause for concern among senior military leaders. They fear the devastating impact such an event could have on aircraft carriers and destroyers patrolling the Red Sea. The Navy has so far managed to intercept or shoot down all missiles and drones fired by the Houthis, but the constant threat has put them in a state of near-constant readiness.
The ongoing conflict in the Red Sea has kept the U.S. Navy on high alert for the past two years, with frequent attacks by Houthi ballistic missiles and drones. The costly measures taken to counter these threats have strained resources and raised questions about the sustainability of the current approach.
It remains to be seen how the White House will ultimately decide on the best course of action in dealing with the Houthi rebels. The situation is complex and requires a careful balance between defensive measures and targeted strikes to ensure the safety of U.S. military personnel and assets in the region.
