The targeting of another U.S.-owned commercial ship Wednesday shows the militant group remains intent on continuing its attacks in the face of multiple rounds of U.S. military airstrikes.
The Houthis launched anti-ship ballistic missiles at the U.S.-owned, flagged and operated commercial ship Maersk Detroit as it was transiting the Gulf of Aden, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Gravely shot down two missiles and a third fell into the water. There were no indications of damage or injuries in the attack.
The U.S. military has been conducting airstrikes against the Houthis to degrade their capabilities since Jan.11, after several weeks of attacks on commercial ships by the militant group.
What’s the play to stop this then?
Not support Israel’s genocide. I’d wager that’d help.
Sure, agreed, probably. I don’t believe one atrocity justifies another though (like the holocaust doesn’t justify… Literally anything they’ve used it as justification for), and the problem is the houthis aren’t just fucking with US and Israeli related ships, they’re impacting global trade.
Backing down in the face of violence (even if it is the correct thing to do in this particular situation) only empowers them to cause more violence because it works. That’s why the US doesn’t (typically) negotiate with terrorists.
Yeah I’m not saying the Houthis are right here (they’re being too indiscriminate), but giving into their demands is objectively the morally correct action. They’re using a wrong method to make a correct point.
I don’t know. I don’t have to in order to recognize the fact that military action only exacerbates the problem by making it easier to radicalize the people whose loved ones are killed, though.
Normally I’d agree, but the Houthis can stop all hostilities by stopping attacking international trade vessels. That isn’t a difficult ask. They can even try to use this as leverage to get other things they want.
Yeah, that’s bullshit. A Saudi-led coalition has been bombing the shit out of them with American weapons for several years now.
I don’t in any way condone terrorism under any circumstances, but to pretend that there’s not been any previous acts of oppressive violence to radicalize them is as unhelpful as it is (wilfully?) ignorant.
I don’t disagree there, but this is what I meant by leverage. “We’ll stop attacking if you stop helping the Saudis”. It wasn’t too long ago that the Houthis actually considered the US as a friendly state.
Wilfully ignorant it is.
There’s no way the US government is ever going to make any such deal, much less honor it.
The Houthis are welcome to continue the current state of affairs if that’s what they prefer.
Yeah because clearly they’re the ones with all the power here. Next you’re gonna say that Palestinians can stop the Gaza genocide any time they want 🙄
The Gaza genocide is because Israel dislikes the Palestinians existing. These attacks are because the US/UK dislike the Houthis attacking commercial vessels.
You’re insulting Palestinians by suggesting there’s any similarity, and actually playing into the Israeli narrative that Palestinians are being violent. Well done.