RIYADH: Houthi forces launched anti-ballistic missiles and armed drones targeting a US aircraft carrier, a US destroyer, and three vessels in the Red Sea. The Iran-backed Yemeni militia’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, confirmed the attacks on Saturday.
The US military confirmed the attacks but said no injuries or damage were reported by US, coalition or commercial ships.
The US Central Command stated that its forces destroyed one Iran-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial system in the southern Red Sea. Additionally, two others were observed crashing into the Red Sea.
US forces also destroyed two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles fired in direction of the US Navy ship Gravely, it said.
The attacks came a day after a Houthi official vowed to hit back after a joint British US airstrikes hit militia installations in Yemen on Thursday.
“We will meet escalation with escalation,” Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, a Houthi official, wrote on X.
The Houthi militia, which controls the most populous parts of Yemen and is aligned with Iran, has attacked ships off its coast for months, saying it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza.
Saree on Saturday said the group “targeted the American aircraft carrier, the Eisenhower, north of the Red Sea, with a number of missiles and drones,” adding that it was “the second targeting operation against the carrier during the past 24 hours.”
Additionally, “the ship ALORAIQ has been targeted in the Indian Ocean,” he added.
Ultimately, the ongoing Red Sea attacks highlight the intricate and dangerous dynamics at play. With each incident, the risk of a wider conflict grows, affecting not just the immediate region but potentially global stability. The Houthis’ aggressive stance, coupled with the retaliatory nature of the British-US airstrikes, creates a precarious situation.
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