In the Red Sea, a U.S. destroyer successfully intercepted drones and a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels towards it on Tuesday. The targeted vessel was identified as the USS Carney, a key player in the American campaign against the rebels, particularly amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The attack comprised bomb-laden drones and an anti-ship ballistic missile, according to the U.S. military’s Central Command. In response, the U.S. conducted an airstrike, neutralizing three anti-ship missiles and three drone boats deployed by the Houthis.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthi military, confirmed the attack on American warships but provided no further details. Saree emphasized the Houthis’ determination to persist until the perceived aggression ceases and the blockade on Gaza is lifted.
However, Saree did not acknowledge the subsequent U.S. airstrikes. The Houthis have refrained from assessing the damage inflicted by the U.S.-led strikes, although they have acknowledged casualties among their ranks, with at least 22 fighters reported killed.
Despite sustained U.S.-led airstrikes over the past month and a half, the Houthi rebels have maintained their capacity to mount significant attacks. Notable incidents include the recent targeting of a cargo ship, the Rubymar, carrying fertilizer, which eventually sank after drifting for days.
The rebels successfully downed an American drone, valuing tens of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, the Indian navy shared footage of their personnel combating a fire aboard the MSC Sky II in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel had been targeted by the Houthis, resulting in minor damage and no casualties, according to the Mediterranean Shipping Co., the ship’s owner.
