U.S. Navy Destroyer Is Attacked in the Red Sea, Pentagon Says

A U.S. Navy destroyer shot down three drones throughout a sustained assault within the Crimson Sea on Sunday, the Pentagon mentioned, in what might sign one other escalation within the tit-for-tat assaults between the American navy and Iranian-backed militants.

A Pentagon official mentioned the united statesS. Carney shot down the drones as a number of industrial ships close by got here below fireplace as a part of an assault that started at 9:15 a.m. and lasted for a number of hours on Sunday. The destroyer intercepted three drones throughout the assault, United States Central Command mentioned in a press release, together with one which was headed within the course of the Carney. The Pentagon mentioned there have been no accidents onboard the destroyer and that the ship was not broken.

Within the assertion, Central Command mentioned the assaults originated from areas in Yemen which can be managed by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia. For the reason that Oct. 7 incursion into Israel led by Hamas, the Houthis primarily based in Yemen have launched a collection of assaults — together with with drones and missiles — on Israeli and American targets within the Crimson Sea.

A Houthi navy spokesman, Yahya Sarea, mentioned in a press release on Sunday that the militia had focused two Israeli ships within the space of the Bab al-Mandeb strait off southern Yemen, however didn’t point out the American naval vessel. The group fired a missile at one ship and focused a second with a drone, he mentioned, including that the Houthis would proceed to stop Israeli ships from crusing within the Crimson Sea and the Arabian Sea till Israel’s navy “stops its aggression” in Gaza.

In October, the Carney shot down three cruise missiles and a number of other drones launched from Yemen that the Pentagon mentioned might need been headed towards Israel.

One of many drones on Sunday “was headed towards Carney, though its particular goal isn’t clear,” Central Command mentioned within the assertion, including, “we can’t assess presently whether or not the Carney was a goal” of the drones.

After Hamas attacked Israel, the Biden administration rushed two plane carriers and extra troops to the japanese Mediterranean close to Israel to discourage Iran and its proxies within the area from increasing the struggle.

Sunday’s assault underscored the dangers that the battle in Gaza might spiral right into a wider battle. For greater than a month, Iranian-backed militias have performed drone and rocket assaults towards the two,500 American troops primarily based in Iraq and the 900 troops in Syria.

In its assertion, Central Command mentioned “we’ve got each motive to consider that these assaults, whereas launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are totally enabled by Iran. America will think about all acceptable responses in full coordination with its worldwide allies and companions.”

Shuaib Almosawa contributed reporting.