The US military said yesterday that a US warship shot down three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in self-defense and rescued three commercial ships that were attacked by ballistic missiles in the Red Sea. Houthi, a military- political organization in Yemen backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for two of those attacks, according to AP.
Multiple ships attacked at the same time
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the attacks began at around 9:15 a.m. on December 3 (Yemen local time) and lasted for several hours. According to CENTCOM, the US destroyer USS Carney detected a ballistic missile fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen at the Bahamas-flagged cargo ship Unity Explorer, but the missile did not hit its target.
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Shortly thereafter, the Carney shot down a UAV flying toward it, although it was unclear whether the US destroyer was the target. About 30 minutes later, the Unity Explorer was hit by a missile and suffered minor damage. While responding to the ship’s distress call, the Carney intercepted another UAV that was approaching.
Two other cargo ships, Number 9 and Sophie II, both Panamanian-flagged, were also hit by missiles. CENTCOM said Number 9 reported some damage but no casualties, and Sophie II reported no significant damage. While coming to the aid of Sophie II late in the afternoon of December 3, the Carney shot down a third UAV headed toward it.
USS Carney shot down missiles and UAVs in the Red Sea on October 19.
"These attacks pose a direct threat to international trade and maritime security... We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while carried out by Houthi forces in Yemen, were fully facilitated by Iran," AFP quoted the CENTCOM statement. According to the statement, the US will "consider all appropriate responses" following the latest developments.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree admitted that the force attacked two ships, Unity Explorer and Number 9, which they said were linked to Israel, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, but did not mention any US warships. Saree also warned that Israeli or Israeli-linked ships "will become legitimate targets if they violate what is stated in this statement."
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari denied that the Unity Explorer and Number 9 ships were linked to the state of Israel, according to Reuters.
Israeli attack helicopters fire missiles at the border between Israel and Gaza on December 4.
The sea front
Shipping has become a target as the Hamas-Israel conflict threatens to spiral into a wider war in the Middle East. The collapse of the ceasefire and Israel’s recent expansion of its military campaign across the Gaza Strip have raised the possibility of the war spilling over to the maritime front.
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Since the conflict began, the Houthis have carried out a series of attacks on ships in the Red Sea. In November, the Houthis seized an Israeli-linked tanker, which they still hold in Yemen. Missiles also landed near another US warship last week after it rescued an Israeli-linked vessel seized by the Houthis. In addition, a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire was recently attacked by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean.
Iran has publicly supported the Houthis but denied providing them with weapons or training. Tehran did not immediately comment directly on the latest attacks in the Red Sea, but Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned that "if the current situation continues, the region will enter a new phase" because of the Hamas-Israel conflict, according to AP.
Israel expands campaign in Gaza
The Israeli army has vowed to fight Hamas across the entire Gaza Strip, marking a new phase in its military campaign as it begins to focus on the southern part of the territory, according to Reuters. The move comes amid calls from the United States, Israel's closest ally, to minimize Palestinian civilian casualties. On December 4, the Israeli army ordered Gaza residents to evacuate from 20 areas in three directions south. However, Hamas said there was no safe place in Gaza.
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