The United States and several allies had repeatedly warned the Houthis of serious consequences if the salvos did not stop. Six hours later, the United States attacked four Houthi attack drones that the military’s Central Command said were about to launch and threaten merchant ships in the Red Sea. And about five hours after that, early Saturday, the destroyer Laboon and FA-18 attack planes shot down seven drones flying over the Red Sea. But the United States did not attack Iran itself, despite its status as the patron and overall coordinator of these militias. Anti-Iran hawks in the United States and the Middle East often argue that attacking the proxies without hitting Iran is a waste of time.

Source: The Times February 05, 2024 06:28 UTC