On January 25, Yemen's Houthis and the United States both issued statements with very different accounts of the course and outcome of a missile incident. The Houthis claimed that they attacked American ** and merchant ships with missiles, while the US said they successfully intercepted a Houthi missile attack on a US cargo ship. Which of these two versions is more credible?
In fact, Houthi's claims are hardly tenable. This is not the first time they have exaggerated and claimed that they have hit the United States. There have been similar cases before, but they have all been proven to be false. The Houthis probably don't know what the US reaction would have been if they did hit the US. Just like the recent US military camp in Iraq after it was attacked by Iranian-backed Shiite militants, the US immediately retaliated with air strikes, destroying militant bases and personnel. If the Houthis did do such a thing, the United States would not simply issue a statement.
Moreover, the United States also has evidence to support their claims. They said the Houthis fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles at a U.S. container ship, one of which fell overboard and the other two were shot down by the U.S. destroyer USS Greavely with interceptor missiles. The American side did not suffer any damage. The United States also published the ** and ** of the interceptor missile, as well as the position and trajectory of the cargo ship. These are all verifiable information, and the Houthis have not provided any evidence to support their claims.
Why did the Houthis say that? It could be to give themselves and their supporters psychological comfort, or it could be to give their ally Iran a face. The Houthis released their statement on Turkey's official **, which also speaks to Turkey-Iran relations. Turkey helped the Houthis spread their lies, much to the comfort of some Palestinians. But this is actually a kind of sadness, because it is useless to cover up reality with lies, it will only make you more isolated and helpless.
The Houthi attack on civilian merchant ships in the Red Sea is a serious provocation, not only against the United States, but also against the whole world. With the exception of Iran, no country would support such an act. This shows that this is not a problem of the United States and Israel, but a global problem. The Houthis' aim is to undermine shipping security in the Red Sea and put pressure on Western countries to gain more benefits for Iran. They will not stop their actions because of the ceasefire in Gaza, because their interests and those of Iran coincide. Only by getting Iran to abandon its nuclear program and support terrorism can the problems of the Red Sea be fundamentally solved.