Almasirah:Red Sea Clashes: U.S. Navy Faces Ammunition Strain and Strategic Setbacks Amid Yemeni Attacks

Red Sea Clashes: U.S. Navy Faces Ammunition Strain and Strategic Setbacks Amid Yemeni Attacks

News - Yemen: The U.S. Secretary of the Navy revealed that the United States has consumed hundreds of munitions since the start of clashes in the Red Sea, facing logistical challenges in maintaining its military presence in the region.

In a statement, the Secretary acknowledged a "presence gap" in the Red Sea due to the need for warships to leave the area for rearmament, describing this as a significant challenge undermining U.S. military operations.

He further noted that the logistical difficulties of rearming ships in the Red Sea expose vulnerabilities that could impact U.S. capabilities in any potential confrontation with China. The Secretary called for an acceleration in the deployment of a mobile naval rearmament system.

Intense Pressure from Yemeni Attacks

According to a report by the U.S. military publication The War Zone, near-daily Yemeni attacks on warships in the Red Sea have significantly strained the U.S. ammunition supply. Warships often travel distances of up to 2,500 miles to resupply.

Vice Admiral Brendan McLane, Commander of U.S. Naval Surface Forces, disclosed at the annual Surface Navy Association conference that the U.S. Navy has expended approximately 400 individual munitions during confrontations with Yemeni forces in the Red Sea over the past 15 months.

The munitions used include:

120 SM-2 missiles (each costing over $2.3 million, totaling $276 million).

80 SM-6 missiles (each costing over $4.3 million, totaling $344 million).

160 five-inch rounds for destroyers and cruisers.

20 ESSM missiles (each costing $1.8 million, totaling $36 million).

SM-3 missiles, the most expensive among the disclosed munitions, with individual costs ranging from $11.8 million to $36 million.

The report estimates that the U.S. Navy has spent over $656 million on three types of missiles alone, excluding other munitions. This figure is lower than an earlier claim by the U.S. Secretary of the Navy in April, which stated that over $1 billion in defensive munitions had been used.

Soaring Costs and Strategic Setbacks

In August, Business Insider reported that the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group expended 770 munitions worth $1.16 billion during operations in the Red Sea. In November, Brown University's Watson Institute estimated that U.S. activities in the region, particularly against Yemeni attacks, had cost $4.86 billion, with the figure continuing to rise.

Media outlets and experts have noted the high cost of U.S. munitions compared to the relatively inexpensive drones and missiles used by Yemeni forces. The limited annual production of these munitions further complicates U.S. military planning, particularly as it seeks to preserve stockpiles for potential conflicts with China.

Despite the substantial expenditure, the U.S. has reportedly failed to achieve its objectives in the Red Sea. Yemeni forces have imposed a naval blockade, preventing ships from entering Israeli ports, including the key port of Umm al-Rashrash. The blockade, intended to support Gaza amid a 15-month-long Israeli military campaign, has effectively paralyzed the port, forcing its closure and the dismissal of its workforce.

The sustained Yemeni attacks have also led to the withdrawal of four U.S. aircraft carriers from the Red Sea and Arabian Sea theaters, underscoring the strategic challenges faced by the U.S. Navy in the region.

Since Israel began its devastating war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Yemen has openly expressed support for Palestine’s resistance against the Israeli occupation. The ongoing aggression in Gaza has claimed the lives of over 46,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

In addition to missile strikes, Yemen has also targeted ships linked to Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, aiming to force an end to the Tel Aviv regime’s genocidal war on Gaza.

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