Fox News senior strategic analyst, retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane, told "Fox & Friends" on Friday that the U.S. can defend itself, and there is no reason not to shut down the Houthi rebels attacking U.S. ships and bases. The interview came on the heels of further attacks by the Iran-backed rebels on cargo ships in the Red Sea.
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GEN. JACK KEANE: I am absolutely stunned that we're still sitting there in a defensive mode. I mean, obviously, we have the capability to defend ourselves. There's no disputing that. But to shut these people down, you have to take away their capability to do it. So you go after that. You go after the rockets. You go after the missiles you've left at storage sites. You go after their entire command and control system. We have very good intelligence on the Houthis, to be sure. And I also believe you go after the Iranians on this because they're really calling the shots here. Make no mistake about it, why we're still in this defensive role makes no sense to me whatsoever. I know there's a multi-task force coming that will escort the ships. But even that, in a sense, is a defensive role. I mean, obviously, it's the right thing to do. I'm not disputing that. But take away the capability that they have and punish them for what they're doing. Otherwise, Iran is going to keep telling them, shoot, shoot and shoot. And that's just going to continue.
US DESTROYER IN RED SEA SHOOTS DOWN ANOTHER HOUTHI DRONE
U.S. Navy destroyer USS Mason shot down a Houthi drone coming out of Yemen on Wednesday, a U.S. defense official told Fox News.
The drone was headed toward USS Mason, which was responding to reports that Houthis were attacking the tanker Ardmore Encounter by using skiffs and then firing two missiles that missed, according to the official. No damage or injuries were initially reported, and the Ardmore Encounter went on its way.
On Nov. 29, an Iranian-made Houthi drone was shot down by U.S. Navy destroyer USS Carney, a military official confirmed to Fox News then. There was no damage to the Carney or any injuries to U.S. personnel onboard.
Back on Oct. 19, USS Carney shot down the 15 drones and four cruise missiles fired from Yemen in the northern Red Sea during a nine-hour time span using its SM-2 surface-to-air missiles. It did not shoot those down in self-defense, like the drone it shot down Nov. 29. The missiles were headed toward Eilat.
Fox News' Danielle Wallace, Jennifer Griffin, Liz Friden and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
