An armed unmanned surface vessel launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen got within a “couple of miles” of U.S. Navy and commercial vessels before detonating on Thursday, just hours after the White House and a host of partner nations issued a “final warning” to the Iran-backed militia group to cease the attacks or face potential military action.

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East, said it was the first time the Houthis had used an unmanned surface vessel, or USV, since their harassment of commercial ships in the Red Sea began after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict. They have, however, used them in years past.

Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the USV’s are a key part of the Houthi maritime arsenal and were used during previous battles against the Saudi coalition forces that intervened in Yemen’s war. They have regularly been used as suicide drone boats that explode upon impact.

  • Quokka
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    -3711 months ago

    I understand this is a Canadian paper and no offense to Canadians but leading with a warning from Canada is uh not the most threatening of things.

      • limonfiesta
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        411 months ago

        I don’t recall them commiting war crimes during naval engagements. But, it is Canada, so…they probably did some stuff that was left out of the history books and military tribunals.

      • @afraid_of_zombies
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        211 months ago

        The only thing standing between the barbarian onslaught of Canadians is the USA, two oceans, and the artic. One day containment will be breached and god help us all…

    • @Illegalmexicant
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      911 months ago

      You try saying that when Attack Beavers got a hold of your wood!

      • @Cypher
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        111 months ago

        Or worse, someone will tell the Canadians that the Houthi have the puck.

    • limonfiesta
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      11 months ago

      Sure, if there is one thing we know about former Anglo-British colonies, it’s their inate pacifism and inability to field and maintain competent and formidable militaries…

      • @afraid_of_zombies
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        111 months ago

        Definitely. It isn’t like the English spent a thousand years of near continuous combat against anywhere their boats could reach. And when they couldn’t reach it they marched across a continent to continue the fight.