U.S Navy Fired $1 billion In Missiles To Counter Iran & Houthis In Middle East, Says Navy Secretary

In an attempt to counter threats, the US Navy has, so far, fired almost $1 billion in missiles from Iran and other proxy forces in the past six months, the sea service’s leading civilian official disclosed on Tuesday.

The disclosure also underscores the depth — and the rising financial cost — of the US Navy’s involvement in the Middle East.

American aircraft and warships operating in the waters of the Red Sea have been targeting and shooting down scores of Houthi drones and missiles since October 2023.

They have also sent targeted preemptive strikes against the militants in Yemen.

Over the weekend, American warships that are operating in the waters of the eastern Mediterranean Sea have intercepted numerous Iranian ballistic missiles in Tehran’s unforeseen attack on Israel.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro also said they have countered more than 130 direct attacks on the US Navy vessels and merchant vessels.

Del Toro spoke to the lawmakers about the munitions being critical to counter-strikes and the Navy and said that the service is nearing $1 billion worth of munitions that require replenishment.

It was unclear if the presented figure also included the weekend interceptions.

The variety of munitions that the Navy has used to intercept threats and conduct preemptive strikes on the Houthis in Yemen are not inexpensive.

The costs add up because the engagements have occurred over the past six months. For example, a Standard Missile-2 interceptor costs approximately $2 million.

The vast national security supplemental package at the centre of months of worries about sending US military aid to Ukraine includes funding of about $2.4 billion to deal with the Navy’s fight in the Red Sea, including depletion of munitions.

The Senate has passed the significant supplemental package.

However, it continues to be blocked by the House Republicans even though considerable pressure from Biden’s administration and US partners overseas, like Ukraine, is exerted to pass it through.

Del Toro said that Congress must pass the supplemental this week to get additional resources to supplement the munitions, which will be critical when moving forward.

Navy fighter jets and warships have been defending key shipping routes off the coast of Yemen for months now, in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, from persistent Houthi attacks.

Beyond the interception of missiles and drones in the air, American forces have also dedicatedly hammered militant forces in Yemen before they can get the weapons in the air.

The Pentagon’s Red Sea operations, nevertheless, raised questions regarding sustainability, as the Houthis are still not showing any sign of giving up on their attacks.

Over the weekend, amid Iran’s ongoing attacks on Israel, the US forces kept engaging the militants.

Iran’s attack, in the meantime, raises more concerns on sustainability, as the US forces — including the Navy — were to defeat endless threats in the air.

The massive aerial barrage has encouraged Israel to promise its retaliation, giving birth to fears that the Middle East can anytime spiral into more violence.

Reference: Guardian

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Source: Maritime Shipping News