Blinken: We Will Hold Those Responsible for Attacks on American Forces in Jordan Accountable

On Wednesday, February 1, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Defense Minister Grant Shapps met in Washington. According to a statement from the U.S. Department of State, the two sides discussed the recent attack on American forces stationed in Jordan, with Blinken emphasizing that the United States will hold those responsible for the attack accountable. Other topics discussed included the need for continued support for Ukraine, the current situation in the Red Sea, and international actions to hold the Houthis accountable for their illegal attacks on vessels passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a statement that at 1:30 AM local time on Thursday, February 2, they targeted a ground control station for Houthi drones supported by the Islamic Republic in Yemen. According to the statement, CENTCOM identified this station and the drones present as an 'imminent' threat to commercial vessels and U.S. naval ships in the region. The CENTCOM statement added that 10 Houthi suicide drones were destroyed during this attack. CENTCOM noted that this action protects freedom of navigation and makes international waters safer for commercial vessels and U.S. naval ships. Meanwhile, CENTCOM had previously announced that around 8:30 PM local time on Wednesday, February 1, a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile fired towards the Gulf of Aden was successfully intercepted by the USS Carney destroyer. This American destroyer also destroyed 'three Iranian drones' about 40 minutes later, around 9:10 PM. Additionally, at approximately 3:30 PM, a Houthi surface-to-air missile that was ready to launch was also destroyed. On the same day, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his British counterpart discussed issues including 'the escalation of attacks by Iran-aligned militia groups on American forces in the Middle East' and 'the illegal attacks by the Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea', as well as humanitarian aid to Gaza and support for Ukraine. According to a Pentagon spokesperson, 'Austin thanked Shapps for the strong support and leadership of Britain in coalition efforts to prevent further Houthi aggression while defending commercial vessels exercising navigation rights and freedoms.' Since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in mid-October, Houthi rebels affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran have targeted commercial vessels in the Red Sea under the pretext of supporting Palestinians, impacting trade costs and routes between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Last week, U.S. and British forces conducted retaliatory strikes against Houthi missile launch sites. A senior U.S. Navy commander in the Middle East had previously stated that the Iranian government is directly involved in the Houthi militia attacks on vessels. Brad Cooper, commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, also stated in an interview with the Associated Press that attacks linked to the Islamic Republic have extended beyond previous threats in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to waters across the Middle East. In this context, Antony Blinken announced on January 17 that the 'Ansar Allah' movement, also known as the Houthis, will be designated as an international terrorist organization by the U.S. government within 30 days. Josep Borrell announced the European Union's mission in the Red Sea to protect commercial vessels from Houthi attacks. The U.S. stated that the time for suspending the activities of Kata'ib Hezbollah has passed; they will be held accountable. Exclusive: Three members of the U.S. House of Representatives called for serious and deterrent action against the Islamic Republic. The U.S. sanctioned several companies in Turkey and Lebanon due to their connections with Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The U.S. blamed 'Islamic Resistance of Iraq' for the recent drone attack on its soldiers in Jordan; revenge is on the way. The National Guard of the United States confirmed the injury of American soldiers in the recent drone attack. The International Monetary Fund reported that Houthi attacks have reduced traffic through the Red Sea by 30%. Reuters reported that pressure from the Islamic Republic has led to a halt in attacks by Kata'ib Hezbollah.