The United States successfully thwarted an attempted drone strike on a U.S. destroyer in the southern Red Sea.
The drones were launched from areas in Yemen controlled by the Houthi rebels, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command (Centcom).
“This marks the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since Oct. 17,” Centcom announced on its official communication platform.
The Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran and in control of a significant portion of Yemen, have been disrupting global trade by targeting ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea.
They claim these actions are in response to Israel’s conflict with Gaza.
In response to distress calls from two attacked ships, the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command took action.
A Norwegian-flagged chemical/oil tanker narrowly escaped a drone attack, while a Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged crude oil tanker reported being hit by a one-way attack.
Centcom reported that two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were also launched into international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea.
Fortunately, no ships were reported to be affected by the ballistic missiles.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency had previously reported an uncrewed aerial system exploding near a vessel in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, southwest of Saleef, Yemen.
In a separate incident, a Japanese-owned chemical tanker off the coast of India was targeted by a drone “fired from Iran,” according to the Pentagon.
This marked the first time the U.S. openly accused Iran of directly targeting ships since the beginning of Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
The targeted ship, MV Chem Pluto, operated under a Liberian flag and was owned by a Japanese company.
The Pentagon assured that there were no casualties, and the vessel continued towards its destination in India.
Major companies have rerouted their cargo vessels around the southern tip of Africa due to the increased threat in the Red Sea, despite the higher fuel costs associated with longer voyages.
Houthi rebels have launched over 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting merchant vessels involving more than 35 countries, according to the Pentagon.
In response, the United States initiated Operation Prosperity Guardian, involving joint patrols in Red Sea waters near Yemen with the participation of over a dozen countries.
Who Is Asha Mwilu? Height, Relationship, Education, Career, Net Worth