By Al-Fassel and AFP | 2023-11-16

A US warship shot down a drone Wednesday (November 15) that was heading toward it from Yemen, the US military said, with the Iran-backed Houthis claiming they launched the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

While transiting the international waters of the Red Sea, the crew of the USS Thomas Hudner "engaged a drone that originated from Yemen and was heading in the direction of the ship," the US Department of Defense said.

The crew of the guided missile destroyer, "engaged and shot down the drone to ensure the safety of US personnel," it said.

"There were no US casualties or any damage to the ship," the statement added.

The incident comes after the US Navy shot down multiple missiles and drones last month that were fired by the Houthis, who seized Sanaa in a September 2014 coup and control swathes of the country.

It also comes after the Houthis on Tuesday threatened to target Israeli ships in the Red Sea, as the Iran-backed group said it had launched another missile targeting Israel.

"The target did not cross into Israeli territory, and was intercepted according to protocol," the Israeli army said in a statement on Telegram.

The incidents are related to the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas, which carried out a terrorist attack from Gaza on October 7 that Israeli officials say killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

The Houthis are are part of the so-called "axis of resistance" arrayed against Israel.

It is the first entry into a foreign war for the Houthis, who have launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel since last month.

Hamas also receives backing from Iran.

Houthis' missile arsenal

In a speech broadcast by the Houthis' Al-Masirah TV station, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said the group was monitoring for Israeli vessels, flagged and unflagged, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.

Bab al-Mandab, at the foot of the Red Sea, is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

"Our missiles and drones will continue," al-Houthi said.

Saudi Arabia and the United States have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with drones, missiles and other weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

The Houthis say they manufacture their drones domestically, although analysts say they contain smuggled Iranian components.

The group has an arsenal of "Typhoon" ballistic missiles, which are a rebranded version of the Iranian Qadr missile, according to Fabian Hinz of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

It unveiled its Typhoon missile arsenal only weeks before Hamas attacked Israel, said Mohammed Albasha, senior Middle East Analyst for the Navanti Group.

The Houthis also have Iran's Quds cruise missile, according to Hinz, and the Iranian Shahed-136 drones that Russia is using in its war on Ukraine.

Another drone model, the Samad-3, is also available to them.

Given their inaccuracy, however, "there is no major threat to the Israeli mainland from the Houthis," Hinz said.

"It's possible they will get a lucky shot," he said, but "there's very little risk involved."

Craving legitimacy

All of the attacks carried out by the Houthis targeting Israel have either been shot down by missile defences or fallen short.

But the Houthis have a different goal in mind: regional and domestic legitimacy.

"The group seeks strategic objectives through their involvement in a regional conflict, including securing political influence in Yemen and the broader region," said Mohammed Albasha, a senior Middle East analyst for the Navanti Group.

They are "seeking recognition and legitimacy as a significant player," he said, adding that such attacks "also aim to rejuvenate and mobilise their support base" at home.

The Houthis have previously launched attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

But the surprise launches at Israel are their most significant military action since a six-month ceasefire last year heralded a period of calm for a country brought to its knees by years of fighting.

Undermining peace process

According to Majid Al-Madhaji, a researcher at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, the Houthis are also trying to strengthen their hand in peace talks with Saudi Arabia, which is looking to negotiate an exit from Yemen's war.

They are looking to bolster "their negotiating position" with Riyadh by attacking Israel and US assets in the region, Madhaji said.

One risk for Yemen is a potential resurgence of its war, if a Houthi missile accidentally causes significant damage in Saudi Arabia, which covers most of the distance from Yemen to Israel.

"It is important to acknowledge the heightened risks involved," Albasha said.

"The Saudis may be forced to retaliate if a missile or a drone inadvertently harms Saudi nationals or targets vital installations while seemingly targeting Israel."

As the Houthis pursue a strategy of violence, US special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking is in the Gulf this week to advance ongoing UN-led peace efforts in Yemen and support regional coordination to reach a durable end to the conflict.

The United States is committed to securing a peaceful resolution to the Yemen conflict, the US State Department said Monday.

"Wider regional conflict risks undermining peace in Yemen," it said.