Washington [US], December 4 The US warship USS Carney shot down at least three Houthi drones (UAVs) that were heading towards this ship in the Red Sea on December 3, according to CNN citing a US official.
The above UAVs were part of four attacks targeting three separate commercial ships carried out by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, according to CNN citing a December 3 announcement from the US Central Command (CENTCOM). .
According to CENTCOM, at about 9:15 a.m. on December 3 (local time), the USS Carney "detected an attack with anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward the M ship." /V Unity Explorer". The missile landed in the vicinity of the USS Carney, which was patrolling the Red Sea at the time. The Unity Explorer is a British-owned and operated Bahamas-flagged cargo ship, according to CENTCOM.
A few hours later, at 12 noon, the USS Carney "destroyed" a Houthi UAV while in the southern Red Sea, according to CNN citing US defense officials . That UAV "was heading towards the USS Carney although its specific target was unclear," according to a statement from CENTCOM.
Previously, AP News Agency quoted an announcement from the Pentagon saying that a US warship and many commercial ships were being attacked in the Red Sea. "We have information about attacks targeting the warship USS Carney and cargo ships in the Red Sea, and will provide information as soon as possible," the Pentagon said.
At almost the same time, the USS Carney received Unity Explorer's distress signal and came to assist. The US warship detected another incoming UAV and destroyed it without "the Carney or Unity Explorer being damaged or injured". However, Unity Explorer reported "minor damage" from the ballistic missile attack, according to a CENTCOM statement.
Also according to CENTCOM, two other commercial ships in the Red Sea were attacked with missiles on the afternoon of December 3, including the ship M/V Number 9, a Panama-flagged ship, owned and operated by Bermuda and the UK, and the ship M/ V Sophie II. The USS Carney received a distress call from M/V Sophie II and shot down another UAV heading towards this ship. The two commercial ships did not suffer significant damage in the missile attack.
In its statement, CENTCOM considered the above attacks "a direct threat to international trade and maritime security". CENTCOM emphasized: "The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners."
Meanwhile, the Houthis announced on December 3 that their naval forces had carried out attacks against "two Israeli ships" in the Bab al-Mandab Strait of the Red Sea. According to that statement, the ships Unity Explorer and Number 9 were attacked with naval missiles and UAVs, respectively, after rejecting warning messages.
There is currently no information about Israel's reaction to the Houthi statement.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper
