U.S. Navy ship repels Houthi drone attack in the Red Sea
On Sunday, the U.S. Navy confirmed that it had successfully intercepted several Houthi drones in the Red Sea after commercial vessels came under attack. The Pentagon made the announcement on the same day that Yemen’s Houthi rebel group claimed to have targeted two Israeli ships in the region.
U.S. naval ship targeted
The U.S. naval ship involved in the incident was the USS Carney (DDG 64). Initially, there were reports of attacks on both the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. However, a National Security Council official later clarified that only the commercial ships had been targeted, not the USS Carney.
Escalation of conflict
The attacks, which lasted for several hours, were believed to have been carried out by Houthi missiles. This represents a significant escalation of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Response of USS Carney
In response to the attacks, the USS Carney observed a ballistic missile being fired at a civilian commercial ship called the “Unity Explorer.” The ship then moved to assist the distressed vessel and subsequently destroyed a Houthi drone that was headed towards both itself and the Unity Explorer.
Houthi statement
The Iran-backed Houthi group confirmed in a statement that it had launched missile and drone attacks against two ships that it believed were connected to Israel in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, also known as the Gate of Tears. However, the statement made no mention of any attacks on U.S. ships, instead focusing on the “Unity Explorer” and the “Number Nine,” both of which the group claimed were associated with Israel.
Threat to Israeli ships
The Houthi statement also contained a warning, stating that Yemen’s military continues to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red and Arab Seas until the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip comes to an end. This threat is not new, as Yemen’s military has previously warned that all Israeli ships or entities connected to Israel will be legitimate targets for attack as long as the conflict in Gaza continues.
The situation in the Red Sea remains tense as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas shows no signs of abating, with both sides continuing to engage in military operations. The incident involving the USS Carney and the commercial vessels is a stark reminder of the volatile nature of the region and the potential for further escalation.
