US warship shoots down drones as commercial vessels hit by Houthi attack in Red Sea
- Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for attacking ‘Israeli ships’ in strategic waterway
- The incident followed a series of attacks in Middle Eastern waters since the Israel-Gaza war broke out
Three commercial vessels came under attack in international waters in the southern Red Sea, the US military said on Sunday, as Yemen’s Houthi group claimed drone and missile attacks on two Israeli vessels in the area.
The Carney, an American destroyer, responded to distress calls and provided assistance following missile and drone launches from Houthi-controlled territory, according to US Central Command.
Yemen’s Houthi movement said its navy had attacked two Israeli ships, Unity Explorer and Number 9, with an armed drone and a naval missile. A spokesperson for the group’s military said the two ships were targeted after they rejected warnings, without elaborating.
In a broadcast statement, the spokesperson said the attacks were in response to the demands of the Yemeni people and calls from Islamic nations to stand with the Palestinian people.
The US military said the Carney shot down three drones as it helped the commercial vessels. It was not clear if the warship was a target.