Three commercial ships in the Red Sea were struck by ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen on Sunday. During the assault, a U.S. warship shot down three drones in self-defense, as stated by the U.S. military. Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attacks marked an escalation in maritime conflicts tied to the Israel-Hamas war. This is evident as several vessels were targeted in a single Houthi assault for the first time during the conflict, increasing tensions in the Mideast.
Issuing a statement, U.S. Central Command warned that the attacks “represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security.” The commercial ships and their crews hail from 14 countries, highlighting the impact of this assault on a global scale.
According to Central Command, the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, detected a ballistic missile aimed at the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier Unity Explorer. The Carney shot down a drone launched from Yemen shortly after. Another missile hit the Unity Explorer 30 minutes later, resulting in minor damage. The Panamanian-flagged bulk carriers Number 9 and Sophie II were also struck, with the Number 9 sustaining some damage. Fortunately, no significant damage was reported on the Sophie II.
“We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran,” Central Command reported. This raised the possibility of the U.S. considering “all appropriate responses.”
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree credited the attacks to the rebels, stating that they aim to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The rebels renewed their warning to Israeli ships and their affiliates, threatening to target violators.
The series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and the launching of drones and missiles targeting Israel had increased as the Israel-Hamas war threatened to escalate. In November, the Houthis seized a vehicle transport ship linked to Israel, while missiles landed near another U.S. warship last week after it had assisted a vessel linked to Israel. However, the Houthis had not directly targeted Americans for some time, escalating the growing maritime conflict.
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Associated Press writers Tara Copp in Dallas, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington, and Dana Beltaji contributed.
