The Houthis have made it clear that they are to proceed with attacks in the Red Sea following US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's announcement of a new US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian in the region.
As per the Pentagon, the Yemeni Shiite group has carried out 100 drone and missile attacks since October 7. The Houthis have recently stepped up their assaults in the Red Sea against US warships and Israeli-linked vessels in a bid to force Tel Aviv into halting its ground operation in the Gaza Strip.
The assaults have demonstrated that the Yemen militants possess a sizable and relatively advanced arsenal, according to the US press. What's more, Houthi drones and missiles are cheaper than US interceptors used to shoot them down.
Houthi presentation showcasing its drones
© © Photo: YouTube/لإعلام الحربي اليمني
Therefore, it would cost Washington a "pretty penny" to defend the sea lanes going through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, according to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft:
Each US munition used to intercept the Houthi rockets and drones costs between $1 million and $4.3 million;
US missiles reportedly used to shoot down Houthi projectiles and UAVs include the SM-2 ($2.1 million); SM-6 ($4.3 million); ESSM Sea Sparrows ($1.7 million); and Rolling Airframe missile ($905,000);
US ships cannot reload in the Red Sea and will have to return to port if the kinetic activity goes on much longer, which also means additional costs.
The conflict in the Red Sea threatens to become protracted given that neither warring side is inclined to back down.
Under these circumstances, there is a serious threat of the Red Sea turning into a new war theater, according to the DC-based think tank.
In that case, the costs related to the US-led task force in the Red Sea could become much higher, especially at the time when the US has been depleting its military arsenals supporting proxy war efforts in Ukraine and Israel's Gaza war.
To complicate matters further, the Red Sea op may expose US troops and sailors to danger. "It is important for the American people to assess if what happens next is truly in the national interest," the DC-based think tank concluded.