US Central Command reports drop in ballistic missile launches and drone attacks in Red Sea region

The carrier strike group anchored by aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower, shown here operating in the Red Sea in June 2024, thwarted Houthi missile and drone attacks. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

While Ansar Allah (commonly known as the Houthis) remains a threat in the Red Sea region, US operations there have reduced attempted missile and drone attacks, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

“While the Houthis have continued to attack our vessels, our operations have degraded the pace and effectiveness of their attacks,” CENTCOM said in an online update of regional operations released on 27 April.

“Ballistic missile launches have dropped by 69%,” CENTCOM reported. “Additionally, attacks from one-way attack drones have decreased by 55%.”

“Since the start of ‘Operation Rough Rider', USCENTCOM has struck over 800 targets,” CENTCOM reported. “These strikes have killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders, including senior Houthi missile and UAV officials,” it added.

By way of comparison, the number of “total engagements”, including “kinetic and non-kinetic” for the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2, anchored by aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) and additional ships such as guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) in the Red Sea region, was 770 during its nine-month deployment ending in July 2024, US Navy (USN) officials told Janes after the ship returned.

CSG 2 launched 155 Standard Missiles (SMs) and 135 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) from their vertical launching system (VLS) for self-defence as well as pre-planned strikes, and its aircraft expended nearly 60 air-to-air missiles (AAMs) and released 420 air-to-surface weapons.

Current operations have been conducted by an “assembly of forces”, including two separate CSGs anchored by USS Harry S Truman