News - Middle East: US military leaders have warned about the ongoing conflict in the territorial waters of the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden.

During the annual Surface Navy Association conference on Tuesday, the head of Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, stated, "We are facing a real danger posed by prolonged fighting in the Red Sea," pointing out that the longer the war lasts, the greater the chance of a major catastrophe. He noted that Yemeni forces have become increasingly skilled in combat.

Cheever also mentioned that cooperation and coordination between the surface and aviation communities has drastically increased since the Red Sea battle began, emphasizing that collaboration at speed has become key when preparing a ship or squadron for threats from Yemen.

In addition, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby added, “I want to reiterate that the Red Sea remains a dynamic environment. We will continue to learn from [the Gettysburg shootdown], the incidents every single day. We learn more from our shortcomings than our successes.”

Kilby further explained, "I think the first time we had an engagement in the Red Sea, it took about 40 days” to analyze ship data, he said. “Now it’s 48 hours, plus a few more to get the final checks done. It touches everything in our surface warfare ecosystem.”

Yemen has declared open support for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the territory’s Palestinian resistance movements carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have achieved significant victories against the naval forces of the US, the UK, and Israel. These operations led to the effective shutdown of the Port of Eilat, also known as Um Rashrash, and forced the US aircraft carriers to retreat from the Red Sea. The Yemeni forces also sank or damaged dozens of Israeli-linked ships.

These achievements have surprised many observers, as Yemen was not previously regarded as a significant naval power. The Yemeni Armed Forces have vowed to continue their operations as long as the Israeli regime maintains its war and siege against Palestinian territories.

So far, Israel has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 110,000 others in Gaza.