Gabriel Colodro/The Media Line
Jerusalem Post, May 4, 2025
“Every Patriot missile or naval interceptor costs millions. Every drone they launch might cost a few thousand. This is not sustainable.”
When a $20,000 missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels can bring down a US Reaper drone worth over $30 million, the cost of war takes on a new, troubling shape. That imbalance is now defining the crisis in the Red Sea, where sustained attacks from Iranian-backed terrorists are draining Western defense budgets and disrupting the arteries of global commerce.
Over 800 strikes have been carried out by the United States against Houthi positions since March 15, yet the barrage of drones and missiles has not ceased. As Houthi forces target American, British, and Israeli-linked ships across one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors, military and economic pressure is intensifying on the US and its allies, with no end in sight.
According to British Colonel (ret.) Richard Kemp, who commanded forces in Afghanistan and has advised on Middle East security, said Iran’s fingerprints are all over the conflict. “This is Iran flexing its muscles,” Kemp said in an exclusive interview with The Media Line. “It’s not only about attacking Israel—it’s about showing that Tehran can hurt the West, especially economically, without ever firing a shot directly.” Kemp described the Houthis as one arm of what he called the “Iranian octopus,” used to deter Western attacks on Iran by threatening both military and commercial targets. “It’s a way of saying: if you hit us, we’ll unleash chaos through our proxies,” he said. “And the Red Sea is one of the best places to do that.” ….SOURCE