In a recent statement, Navy Chief Petty Officer Shapiro emphasized the impact of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, affecting over 55 nations and posing a threat to global commerce. More than a dozen major shipping operators have halted transit through the Red Sea, leading to increased insurance rates and jeopardizing the safety of mariners and U.S. service members in the region.

These attacks have not only caused delivery delays of essential humanitarian aid, such as food and medicine, but have also escalated prices, adversely impacting vulnerable populations in Sudan, Ethiopia, and Yemen. The situation has been described as an international problem that requires a collective response to safeguard navigational freedoms and commerce worldwide.

To address these challenges, the U.S. is collaborating with allies and partners to implement military, diplomatic, and economic measures aimed at deterring the Houthi leadership and reducing their capacity to target commercial shipping. In a display of this effort, Navy Chief Petty Officers Juan Torres and Jason Jimenez were seen overseeing operations aboard the USS Laboon, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea on December 22, 2023.