US Navy ship shoots down missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels

a naval warship usa This Friday a missile was shot down which was attacked Houthi rebels Yemen, The military said it was backed by Iran, which has been carrying out attacks against international shipping for two months.

US and British forces have launched two rounds of joint strikes aimed at reducing the Houthis’ ability to attack transiting ships major sea trade routes And Washington has also carried out a series of unilateral airstrikes, but the Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks.

“Iran-backed Houthi militants fired an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Arleigh-Burke-class destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) in the Gulf of Aden,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. a statement.

“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney. No injuries or damage reportedCentcom added. The ship has been engaged in maneuvers for months to protect cargo ships passing through the Red Sea from Houthi attacks.

Meanwhile, maritime surveillance agencies said this Two missiles explode in waters south of Yemen On Friday, however, it was not clear whether those reports were related to the incident declared by CENTCOM.

Risk monitor Ambre said a Panama-flagged oil tanker “reported seeing two explosions” in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, a report that was confirmed by the British Navy’s UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). No damage has been reported.

Embrey said the missiles exploded about a mile from the Indian-allied tanker and 200–300 meters (650–1,000 ft) above the waterline. UKMTO said they detonated water.

“The motive was not clear at the time of the report. There was no damage,” Embrey said, adding that the ships were seeking military assistance at the time.

There was no immediate comment on the latest incident from the Houthis, who launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in November, adding that They attacked ships linked to Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza,

He has since said this American and British interests are also legitimate goals.

In addition to strikes against the Houthis, the United States is leading a coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea, an effort the Pentagon has compared to highway patrol for the waterway.

Washington is also trying to put diplomatic and financial pressure on the Houthis, whom it re-labeled a terrorist organization last week, removing that label soon after President Joe Biden took office.

The attacks by the rebels – who are part of an anti-Israel and anti-West coalition of Iranian proxies and allies – trade in the Red Sea has been disrupted, Through which about 12% of international maritime traffic transits.

Many shipping companies have changed their Red Sea route, instead taking the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

The new pressure comes after a difficult few years for the sector during the COVID-19 virus pandemic, when supply chain disruptions pushed freight rates to unprecedented levels.

(With information from AFP and Europapress)