Recently, the US Navy announced a major record, they successfully shot down 18 drones and 4 cruise missiles. A U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Carney engaged in a fierce engagement in the Red Sea region. According to reports, the ship launched 22 Standard 2 ship-to-air missiles on December 10 and successfully intercepted 18 incoming suicide drones and 4 long-range cruise missiles. At the same time, the ship itself did not suffer any damage, and the interception rate was as high as 100%. This result shows that the air defense capability of the US "Aegis" ships is very good, and the security situation in the Red Sea region has been maintained to a certain extent.
The report pointed out that the ** deployed by the United States in the Red Sea has been frequently attacked by missiles and drones by Yemen's Houthi forces recently. The 18 drones and 4 cruise missiles shot down this time are just one of them. However, this also raises questions about the costs and benefits. According to the analysis, the main ship-to-air missile used by the US military, the Standard-2 missile, was sold for $1.24 million in the past, while the newer and stronger Standard-6 ship-to-air missile cost more than $4.1 million. If it is assumed that this launch is a Standard-2 missile, then the total cost of 22 missiles will amount to 17 million dollars. In contrast, the drones and cruise missiles used by the Houthis are inexpensive. Therefore, in this conflict, the question of who exactly benefits from an economic point of view is a concern.
In the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Middle East, not only the United States, but other NATO members such as the United Kingdom and France have also sent naval forces to support Israel. The movements of the French ** ship in the Red Sea became the focus. According to the Global Times, a French Navy "Languedoc" intercepted two suicide drones of Yemen's Houthi rebels over the Red Sea. Compared to the American Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyers, the Languedok has much weaker air defense, which means that in the face of an intense attack by 18 UAVs and 4 missiles, the ship will face a great threat and even the possibility of being sunk. France, one of Israel's supporters, has also been targeted by the Houthis.
With the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, tensions in the Middle East have intensified, and the antagonism between the Arab world and Western countries has also been rising. France, a member of NATO, has always supported Israel in Middle East affairs and sent ** to the region. However, due to its continued support for Israel, France became one of the targets of criticism in the Arab world. The Houthi drone attack on the French ship can be seen as a response to France's support for Israel, and is intended to prevent France from further siding with Israel.
France's Macron had previously participated in a ceremony in support of Israel and received an award medal from the Jewish community, which sparked opposition from all walks of life in the country. Both left-wing and right-wing parties have criticized Macron's actions for violating France's secularism and neutrality. France has not provided Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but Macron has shown positive support for Israel, including by banning demonstrations in support of Palestine and openly supporting Israel's so-called "right to self-defense".
During the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there were knife killings in France related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and warnings were received about bomb attacks on French landmarks and important facilities. The Houthi drone attack on the French ship was seen as a manifestation of the Arab world's declaration of war on France. Therefore, if Macron does not stop being too biased in favor of Israel on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, France is likely to face an even more difficult situation.
To sum up, the U.S. Navy's shooting down of Houthi drones and missiles in the Red Sea shows the excellent air defense capabilities of the U.S. military. However, the question of the cost of this conflict has raised eyebrows, while also exposing the tensions between Western countries and the Arab world. France, one of Israel's supporters, has also been targeted by the Houthis. Macron's over-leaning stance towards Israel and the opposition it provokes has put France in an even more complicated situation.