{"id":46399,"date":"2024-01-23T16:09:01","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T16:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/01\/23\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:59:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:59:50","slug":"5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/01\/23\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"5th Fleet boss: Iran \u2018directly involved\u2019 in Houthi rebel ship attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JERUSALEM \u2014 Iran is \u201cvery directly involved\u201d in ship attacks that Yemen\u2019s Houthi rebels have carried out during&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/israel-hamas-war\">Israel\u2019s war against Hamas<\/a>, the Navy\u2019s top Mideast commander told The Associated Press on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. 5th Fleet, stopped short of saying Tehran directed individual attacks by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/houthis\">the Houthis<\/a>&nbsp;in the Red Sea and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/houthi-drone-attacks-ship-gulf-aden-9949c0b224812fd37958709ed19dd365\">Gulf of Aden<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Cooper acknowledged that attacks associated with Iran have expanded from previously threatening just the Persian Gulf and its Strait of Hormuz into waters across the wider Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cClearly, the Houthi actions, probably in terms of their attacks on merchant shipping, are the most significant that we\u2019ve seen in two generations,\u201d he told the AP in a telephone interview. \u201cThe facts simply are that they\u2019re attacking the international community; thus, the international response I think you\u2019ve seen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Iran\u2019s mission to the United Nations and the Houthi leadership in Yemen\u2019s capital, Sanaa, didn\u2019t respond to a request for comment. However, the Houthis later claimed to have attacked a U.S.-flagged vessel, something that the 5th Fleet dismissed as \u201cpatently false.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/01\/18\/what-the-navy-is-learning-from-its-fight-in-the-red-sea\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/8198875.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">What the Navy is learning from its fight in the Red Sea<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The surface fleet has shot down scores of attack drones and missiles since October, activity without modern precedent in U.S. Navy history.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since November, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11\">Iranian-backed Houthis<\/a>&nbsp;have launched at least 34 attacks on shipping through the waterways leading up to Egypt\u2019s Suez Canal,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/red-sea-yemen-houthis-attack-ships-f67d941c260528ac40315ecab4c34ca3\">a vital route for energy and cargo<\/a>&nbsp;coming from Asia and the Middle East onward to Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Houthis,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-houthis-d770a3fb0fab4c4b72e2459771833e11\">a Shiite rebel group<\/a>&nbsp;that\u2019s held Sanaa since 2014 and been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen\u2019s exiled government since 2015, link their attacks to the Israel-Hamas war. However, the ships they\u2019ve targeted increasingly have tenuous links to Israel \u2014 or none at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In recent days, the U.S. has launched&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/iran-satellite-launch-mideast-tensions-israel-palestinians-gaza-b2d8d654c24cf588acaa8228229a0415\">seven rounds of airstrikes<\/a>&nbsp;on Houthi military sites,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/biden-houthis-yemen-shipping-attacks-fc5c1ed40f4e370bed81670bfdda0899\">targeting air bases<\/a>&nbsp;under the rebels\u2019 control and suspected missile launch sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, risks for the global economy remain as many ships continue to bypass that route for a longer trip around Africa\u2019s southern tip. That meant lower revenue for Egypt through the Suez Canal, a vital source of hard currency for the country\u2019s troubled economy, as well as higher costs for shipping that could push up global inflation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Cooper took command of 5th Fleet in 2021, the threat to shipping focused primarily around the Persian Gulf and its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of all oil traded passes. A series of attacks blamed on Iran and ship seizures by Tehran followed the collapse of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/iran-nuclear\">Iran\u2019s nuclear deal<\/a>&nbsp;with world powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his interview with the AP, the Navy commander acknowledged the threat from Iran\u2019s proxies and that its distribution of weapons extended from the Red Sea out to the far reaches of the Indian Ocean. The U.S. has blamed Iran for recent drone attacks on shipping, and a U.S.-owned cargo vessel came under attack from the Houthis in the Gulf of Aden last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So far, Iran hasn\u2019t become directly involved in fighting either Israel or the U.S. since the war in Gaza began on Oct. 7. However, Cooper maintained Iran had been directly fueling the Houthi attacks on shipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/01\/22\/the-us-navy-could-use-some-lasers-on-its-surface-fleet-right-now\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"179\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Dragonfire_Night_Shot_gov_image_960x640.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Amid Red Sea clashes, Navy leaders ask: Where are our ship lasers?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">\u201cWe\u2019re 10 years down the road, and we still don\u2019t have something we can field?\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat I\u2019ll say is Iran is clearly funding, they\u2019re resourcing, they are supplying and they\u2019re providing training,\u201d Cooper said. \u201cThey\u2019re obviously very directly involved. There\u2019s no secret there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooper described the ship attacks striking the Mideast as the worst since&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ceb6e7a86bf14a9a8d8ecf81c9dcc7ef\">the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s<\/a>. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw the U.S. Navy&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/de425ed9833b4bdaa03306f37182995f\">accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet<\/a>, killing 290 people in 1988.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back then, American naval ships escorted reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers through the Persian Gulf and the strait after Iranian mines damaged vessels in the region. Cooper said authorities had no current plans to reflag ships and escort them past Yemen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, the U.S. and its allies employ a \u201czone defense, and every once and a while we shift to a one-on-one,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooper\u2019s reference to the tensions from more than three decades ago underlines just how precarious the situation in the wider Mideast has become as worries of a regional conflict over the Israel-Hamas war grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Monday night, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, in a recorded address, claimed an attack in the Gulf of Aden on the Ocean Jazz, a U.S.-flagged ship managed by Seabulk, a company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The firm declined to comment when reached by the AP. The Ocean Jazz had been in the Red Sea heading south four days ago, according to tracking data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 5th Fleet issued an online statement dismissing the Houthi claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists\u2019 report of an alleged successful attack on M\/V Ocean Jazz is patently false,\u201d it said. The 5th Fleet \u201chas maintained constant communications with M\/V Ocean Jazz throughout its safe transit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooper spoke to the AP from the sidelines of a drone conference in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Under his command of the 5th Fleet, the naval force has created&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/middle-east-iran-dubai-united-arab-emirates-bahrain-fe5517a7979e037ae6e266b885cc7719\">Task Force 59<\/a>, a drone fleet to bolster its patrol of waterways in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, a variety of drones provide the 5th Fleet coverage across about 10,000 square miles (25,900 square kilometers) of Mideast waters that the Navy otherwise wouldn\u2019t have eyes on, Cooper said. That helps its efforts to interdict suspected drug and weapons shipments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. forces seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry this month from a ship bound for the Houthis in a raid that saw two Navy SEALs go missing. The U.S. military\u2019s Central Command said Sunday&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/seals-navy-deceased-weapons-seizure-yemen-0502e297a90ecc28431fc5b2cb49d033\">it now believes the SEALs are dead<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/01\/22\/navy-ids-two-seals-who-died-during-sea-mission-off-somalia\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"156\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SEALS.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Navy IDs two SEALs who died during sea mission off Somalia<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram went missing this month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While not directly saying his fleet\u2019s drones played a part in the seizure, Cooper hinted at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey are specifically designed to conduct interdiction operations,\u201d he said. He added: \u201cThere\u2019s no squeaking anything by it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cooper\u2019s command is set to end in February with the upcoming arrival of Rear Adm. George Wikoff in Bahrain. He noted that the Navy and merchant shippers still face a serious threat from the Houthis as he prepares to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat we need is a Houthi decision to stop attacking international merchant ships. Period,\u201d Cooper said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vice Adm. Brad Cooper stopped short of saying Tehran directed individual attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":81853,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":65,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["your-military","flashpoints","israel-palestine","news","home"],"primary_category":"your-military"}}},"categories":[101,8,23,12,26,65],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1105],"class_list":["post-46399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-news","category-newsletters","category-your-navy"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"VFEWCKDI5ZGOXGUWKU7Q256JXU","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/01\/23\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5th Fleet boss: Iran \u2018directly involved\u2019 in Houthi rebel ship attacks - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vice Adm. Brad Cooper stopped short of saying Tehran directed individual attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5th Fleet boss: Iran \u2018directly involved\u2019 in Houthi rebel ship attacks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Vice Adm. Brad Cooper stopped short of saying Tehran directed individual attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/01\/23\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Navy Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-01-23T16:09:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T19:59:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/your-navy\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/23\\\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/your-navy\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/23\\\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"5th Fleet boss: Iran \u2018directly involved\u2019 in Houthi rebel ship attacks\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2024-01-23T16:09:01+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T19:59:50+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/your-navy\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/23\\\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 1082,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/your-navy\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/23\\\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/8187133.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Flashpoints\",\n\t                \"Home\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Your Navy\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/your-navy\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/23\\\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/your-navy\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/23\\\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/news\\\/your-navy\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/23\\\/5th-fleet-boss-iran-directly-involved-in-houthi-rebel-ship-attacks\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"5th Fleet boss: Iran \u2018directly involved\u2019 in Houthi rebel ship attacks - 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