The US Central Command (Centcom) announced that a US destroyer shot down several drones yesterday, Sunday, while providing support to commercial ships in the Red Sea that were targeted by attacks from Yemen.
The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who announced the targeting of two commercial ships, launched a series of drones and missiles towards Israel in recent weeks and seized a cargo ship last month, but the recent attacks represent a major threat to maritime shipping traffic in the region.
Centcom said in a statement: “Today there were 4 attacks on 3 commercial ships sailing separately in international waters south of the Red Sea.”
The statement added, "The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Carney responded to distress calls from ships, provided assistance, and shot down three drones that were heading to the destroyer during the day.”
The destroyer Carney detected a missile launched from an area controlled by the Houthis in Yemen and it landed near the ship "Unity Explorer” flying the Bahamas flag.
The ship later reported that it was slightly damaged by another missile fired from the Houthi rebel area.
The cargo ship "No. 9”, which flies the Panama flag, reported material damage due to a missile fired from Yemen, while the ship "Sophie 2”, which also flies the Panama flag, reported that it was also hit, but there were no human casualties among its crew members.
US Central Command said the attacks "represent a direct threat to international trade and maritime security.”
She added, "We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, although launched by the Houthis from Yemen, were entirely enabled by Iran.” The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its allies and international partners.”
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attacks on the ships “Unity Explorer” and “No. 9” in a statement on social media earlier Sunday, saying that the two ships were Israeli and that attacks on Israeli ships would continue “until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops.”
