US general: Washington will help the UAE renew its defenses after the Houthi attacks

An American general said that his country would "help the UAE to renew the interceptor missiles that it uses to shoot down incoming missiles", after it was subjected to a series of unprecedented attacks launched by the Yemeni Houthi group.

General Frank McKenzie, the commander of the US Central Command, said that the United States will help the UAE renew the interceptors it uses to shoot down incoming missiles after it was subjected to an unprecedented series of attacks launched by the Houthi group in Yemen, according to Reuters.

In the past few weeks, the Iran-aligned Houthis launched a series of strikes on Emirati targets that triggered Emirati and US air defenses, and even saw US forces stationed there take cover for a short period.

"We will help refurbish the interceptors. We will do everything we can to help the UAE defend itself," McKenzie, who oversees operations in the Middle East, said in an interview after a visit to Abu Dhabi this week, as quoted by Reuters.

McKenzie did not provide further details. An informed source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "The UAE has specifically requested the United States to renew the missiles of interceptor defense systems, including the THAAD and Patriot systems," according to Reuters.

The latest US move is added to the Pentagon's announcement last week of the deployment of a guided-missile destroyer and advanced F-22 fighter jets to the UAE. This would represent a commitment of defense support amid strong opposition to the war in Yemen among many lawmakers in Congress due to civilian casualties as the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and caused a severe humanitarian crisis.

The Houthi attacks highlighted the so far unsuccessful efforts led by the United Nations to end the war in Yemen, which has been witnessing since 2015 a war between the Houthis and a Saudi-led military coalition that includes the UAE.

McKenzie, who also expressed concern about the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, an ally, acknowledged that the United States suffers from limited American reconnaissance capabilities over Yemen given the size of this country.

“We are very limited in terms of ISR capabilities over Yemen,” McKenzie said, referring to military intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities that include the use of drones. “This is a large country and decisions have to be made according to priorities.”

Experts say it may be difficult to help allies locate and destroy Houthi missile launch sites without adequate ISR capabilities, especially when dealing with mobile missile launchers.

Realizing their importance, the Houthis target American drones. The Houthis have shot down two U.S.-operated drones since McKenzie took command in March 2019, and many others operated by regional allies.

"I communicate with partners in Yemen. I communicate with the (US Defense) Secretary all the time about the resources that we need," McKenzie said, without specifying any request. He added, "It is a dialogue taking place within the Ministry of Defense." He declined to speculate whether the Pentagon might allocate additional reconnaissance capabilities to Yemen, saying: "Anything is possible."

Although the Houthis have long targeted Saudi Arabia, sources say that the Houthi movement responded last month to its losses on the battlefield with unprecedented attacks on the UAE.