An Iranian-backed terrorist organization, the Houthis, seriously damaged a cargo ship near the Arabian Peninsula over the weekend and appeared to shoot down a U.S. drone. These attacks come as President Joe Biden continues to fail in protecting American interests and deterring aggression from America’s enemies on the world stage.
The M/V Rubymar, a commercial cargo ship, was hit by anti-ship ballistic missiles on Friday, causing severe damage to the front and engine room. The attack occurred 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The crew was forced to abandon the ship due to the damage sustained.
The Houthis, who claimed responsibility for the attack, released a statement saying the ship had suffered “catastrophic damage” and was at risk of sinking. According to Bloomberg, the ship’s security firm, LSS-SAPU, has confirmed that the vessel was taking in water, and the owners are exploring options for towage.
This is the first time that a crew has been forced to abandon ship due to a Houthi attack, marking a new escalation in the region. Two additional cargo ships, the U.S.-owned M/V Sea Champion and the Denmark-owned M/V Navis Fortuna, were also allegedly attacked in the area.
The Houthis also claimed responsibility for shooting down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper, an unarmed drone used for surveillance and intelligence gathering, over Yemen on Monday morning. The group stated that Yemeni air defenses shot down the drone while it was carrying out “hostile missions against [their] country.”
While the U.S. confirmed that a drone crashed near Hodeidah, Yemen, they declined to reveal whether it was actually shot down. The Houthis previously shot down a U.S. drone in November.
This latest attack by the Houthis comes as President Biden continues to show weakness on the world stage and refuses to take effective action to prevent and deter future attacks. Despite the U.S. having the strongest military in the world, Biden has chosen to avoid confrontation with Iran and their partners, including the Houthis.
U.S. Navy’s ‘low-grade’ war in Yemen looking more like the Barbary Wars
Last 24 hours:
-Houthi ballistic missiles hit U.S.-owned cargo ship
-U.S. forces destroy SAM site
-Drone hits another U.S.-owned cargo ship
-10 drones shot down by American and allied jets and warships…— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) February 20, 2024
In an interview with CBS News’s “60 Minutes,” Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the U.S. military’s deputy commander in the Middle East, stated that the Houthis would not be able to conduct these attacks without direct support from Iran. He also revealed that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is operating in Yemen, providing weapons and intelligence to the Houthis.
In a recent covert cyberattack, the U.S. military targeted the M/V Behshad, an Iranian military vessel disguised as a cargo ship, which provides intelligence to the Houthis. These actions were taken in an attempt to disrupt the ship’s ability to share intelligence with the terrorist group. This attack highlights the ongoing involvement of Iran and the IRGC in supporting the Houthis and their attacks on commercial ships in the region.
President Biden’s failure to act effectively against these terrorist activities has also led to other dangerous consequences. The weak withdrawal from Afghanistan has allowed Al-Qaeda to rapidly regrow, and his inability to deter Russia from invading Ukraine has resulted in an expensive war that the U.S. is now supporting financially. The president’s handling of official meetings with communist China has shown that he can be easily pushed around, and the lack of forceful response to over 170 attacks on U.S. forces by Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East has only emboldened these terrorists.
Progressive weakness is dangerous.
Biden Failing On World Stage: Cargo Ship Could Sink After Houthi Attack; U.S. Drone Downed; U.S. Cargo Ship Hit | The Daily Wire https://t.co/xcCDH10DOX
— Rick Langel (@RickLangel) February 20, 2024
Biden’s failure to protect American interests and deter aggression from America’s enemies has also had a ripple effect, pushing U.S. partners like Saudi Arabia and India closer to rival countries like Russia and China.
