Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin has more for us.
Jennifer, the threat from the Hootie seemed to be getting
worse.
What do we know right now?
The hooties and the Iranian backed militias in Iraq and
Syria.
Sandra. The 900 U.S. troops in Syria and 1600 American
troops at bases across Iraq are effectively sitting ducks right
now,
taking incoming rocket, drone and mortar fire from Iranian backed
proxy forces.
Daily. There are reports of additional attacks today successfully stopped
by U.S.
forces. Saturday U.S. troops shot down to incoming one way
attack drones in eastern Syria and one targeting the mission
support base Euphrates.
That brought that that brought the total to 87 attacks
on U.S.
troops in Iraq and Syria since October 17th.
That doesn't include a significant escalation of missile and drone
attacks by the Hootie's which is disrupting international shipping in
the Red Sea.
This video released by the US Navy in conjunction with
the Army Navy game this weekend shows the sailors on
the USS Carney,
who count 24 to 0 the number of missiles and
drones fired by the Houthis from Yemen that the Navy
destroyer has successfully intercepted.
17,000 ships passed through the Red Sea and the Babel
mendab straight near Yemen every year.
10% of commercial traffic, almost 9 million barrels of oil
every day go through there over the weekend,
the French Navy. Shot down to Hootie drones while patrolling
the Red Sea on that same day Iran backed Houthi
leaders say their forces will target any ships heading to
or from Israel, effectively a virtual blockade of Israel's ports
which could threaten their economy.
Israel's Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu reportedly told President Biden if
he doesn't handle the Houthis,
Israel will. the US is focusing on expanding A multinational
naval task force to address the alarming rise in attacks.
Sandra Jennifer Griffin reporting live at the Pentagon for us.
Jennifer, thank you.