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House Armed Services hearing: Pentagon says U.S. strikes curtailed attacks on ships but Red Sea commerce not yet restored
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Summary
Pentagon witnesses told the House Armed Services Committee that U.S. maritime operations, including Operation Roughrider, reduced Houthi attacks on American shipping but insurance costs and attacks on Israel persist, delaying full resumption of commercial traffic through the Red Sea.
U.S. military leaders told the House Armed Services Committee that recent operations forced a halt to Houthi attacks on U.S. ships but warned commercial traffic through the Red Sea has not yet returned to normal.
Katherine Thompson, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for international affairs, said the Department of Defense maintains forces to "restore freedom of navigation" and described operations targeting Houthi forces in Yemen as part of that effort. "President Trump has already demonstrated his unrelenting commitment to keep Americans safe by conducting operations targeting Houthi terrorists in Yemen that successfully restored freedom of navigation and American deterrence," Thompson said.
Nut graf: Committee members pressed commanders on whether operational gains translate to broader regional stability and to reopening the Suez-Red Sea route for commercial shipping. Witnesses said military success is necessary but not sufficient — commercial insurers and shippers are still weighing risks.
CENTCOM commander Gen. Eric Kurilla told the panel that U.S. operations had delivered a clear operational effect: "For 51 days, we pounded the Houthis... In the last week, we've put 4 destroyers back through the Bab El Mandeb, and we were not shot at," he said. Kurilla added that Houthis continue to attack Israel and that U.S. forces continue to defend Israel with deployed systems, including a THAAD battery.
Committee members pressed for specifics on the broader shipping picture. Kurilla said reopening the route for regular commercial traffic is a lagging indicator dependent on insurance rates and commercial decisions: "As long as the insurance rates stay high, they will choose to go a different route," he said. Thompson similarly said freedom of navigation operations had resumed but cautioned that ship operators decide transits based on insurance and perceived risk.
Members also questioned how Houthi capabilities are sustained. Kurilla said Iran supplies weapons and expertise, noting these are often moved by sea in containers and smaller craft; he said a significant portion — an estimated 80–85 percent, in his description — moves by maritime routes and that recent U.N. steps to inspect vessels more thoroughly are a positive development.
On rules and authorities, witnesses said U.S. forces retain authorities to board and, when a vessel is found carrying weapons for designated terrorist groups, detain crews and sink ships in appropriate circumstances. "We can board it. We have the authority to board it. And if we find the munitions, we'll take the crew. We can end up sinking the ship," Kurilla said.
Ending: Witnesses and members agreed that military steps had reduced immediate threats to U.S. shipping but that restoring routine commercial transit depends on sustained deterrence, interruption of Iranian supply lines, regional burden sharing, and market signals such as insurance rates.
