When a $20,000 missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels can bring down a US Reaper drone worth over $30 million, the cost of war takes on a new, troubling shape. That imbalance is now defining the crisis in the Red Sea, where sustained attacks from Iranian-backed terrorists are draining Western defense budgets and disrupting the arteries of global commerce.
Over 800 strikes have been carried out by the United States against Houthi positions since March 15, yet the barrage of drones and missiles has not ceased. As Houthi forces target American, British, and Israeli-linked ships across one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors, military and economic pressure is intensifying on the US and its allies, with no end in sight.
According to British Colonel (ret.) Richard Kemp, who commanded forces in Afghanistan and has advised on Middle East security, said Iran’s fingerprints are all over the conflict. “This is Iran flexing its muscles,” Kemp said in an exclusive interview with The Media Line. “It’s not only about attacking Israel—it’s about showing that Tehran can hurt the West, especially economically, without ever firing a shot directly.” Kemp described the Houthis as one arm of what he called the “Iranian octopus,” used to deter Western attacks on Iran by threatening both military and commercial targets. “It’s a way of saying: if you hit us, we’ll unleash chaos through our proxies,” he said. “And the Red Sea is one of the best places to do that.”
The cost of containment
The economic disparity between offensive and defensive action in this conflict is staggering. While the Houthis fire relatively cheap projectiles—often made with imported components from Iran—intercepting them requires millions of dollars in sophisticated Western systems.
Beyond the cost of interception, maintaining a constant military presence in the region adds to the strain. Aircraft carrier groups, drone patrols, and airstrike campaigns in Yemen are expensive undertakings, and the frequency of Houthi attacks suggests that this drain could last for years. “This is turning into a war of attrition,” said Sayeh. “But only one side is spending big.”
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Over 800 strikes have been carried out by the United States against Houthi positions since March 15, yet the barrage of drones and missiles has not ceased. As Houthi forces target American, British, and Israeli-linked ships across one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors, military and economic pressure is intensifying on the US and its allies, with no end in sight.
According to British Colonel (ret.) Richard Kemp, who commanded forces in Afghanistan and has advised on Middle East security, said Iran’s fingerprints are all over the conflict. “This is Iran flexing its muscles,” Kemp said in an exclusive interview with The Media Line. “It’s not only about attacking Israel—it’s about showing that Tehran can hurt the West, especially economically, without ever firing a shot directly.” Kemp described the Houthis as one arm of what he called the “Iranian octopus,” used to deter Western attacks on Iran by threatening both military and commercial targets. “It’s a way of saying: if you hit us, we’ll unleash chaos through our proxies,” he said. “And the Red Sea is one of the best places to do that.”
The cost of containment
The economic disparity between offensive and defensive action in this conflict is staggering. While the Houthis fire relatively cheap projectiles—often made with imported components from Iran—intercepting them requires millions of dollars in sophisticated Western systems.
Beyond the cost of interception, maintaining a constant military presence in the region adds to the strain. Aircraft carrier groups, drone patrols, and airstrike campaigns in Yemen are expensive undertakings, and the frequency of Houthi attacks suggests that this drain could last for years. “This is turning into a war of attrition,” said Sayeh. “But only one side is spending big.”
A costly pattern with no end in sight
As long as the Houthis receive weapons, training, and political backing from Tehran, none of the experts interviewed believe the threat will disappear. “So long as the weapons are coming from Tehran,” said Sayeh, “this issue is going to persist.” Kemp echoed the same warning: “Unless we start thinking of this as a global strategy by Iran, we’ll keep losing this battle—one overpriced missile at a time.”Complete Article
Houthi drones drain billions from West as Red Sea chaos escalates, experts say
Leading defense analysts say that the Houthis' latest attacks are Tehran showing what it is truly capable of.
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