The U.S.-led force in the Red Sea has shot down 19 drones and missiles launched by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen in less than a month, but there\u2019s no sign that the militants are backing off, the commander of U.S. Navy forces in the Middle East said.<\/p>\n
More than 1,500 international merchant ships have passed safely through the Red Sea since a coalition task force started operations on December 18, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said Thursday. Cooper said the coalition is employing a \u201czone defence,\u201d with five vessels seeking to protect all ships in the waterway as opposed to providing individual escorts to a few. He said the task force is taking an active role, \u201cmaneuvering and communicating at sea.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cooper\u2019s acknowledgment that the Houthi attacks aren\u2019t abating comes as the U.S. and allies are giving increasingly stern warnings of more aggressive action. On Wednesday, more than a dozen nations led by the U.S. issued a statement warning that the Houthis \u201cwill bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy and free flow of commerce in the region\u2019s critical waterways.\u201d<\/p>\n
A UK official said Thursday that allied action against the Houthis in Yemen, where they are based, is likely if they don\u2019t heed that warning.<\/p>\n