The Pentagon has reported that a U.S. naval ship and several commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea. This incident comes on the same day that Yemen’s Houthi rebel group claimed responsibility for targeting two Israeli ships in the same area. This series of attacks raises concerns about the potential escalation of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Over the course of several hours, multiple commercial ships were targeted in the Red Sea. Defense officials believe that these attacks were carried out by Houthi missiles, signaling a significant uptick in hostilities. The Pentagon has not yet disclosed the origin of the attack on the U.S. naval ship, USS Carney.
The USS Carney, a U.S. naval destroyer, witnessed a ballistic missile being fired at a civilian commercial ship named the “Unity Explorer.” In response to distress reports from the vessel, the Carney intervened and successfully destroyed a Houthi drone that was headed towards itself and the Unity Explorer. The exact location of the USS Carney’s attack has not been disclosed by the Pentagon.
The Iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attacks and stated that they had targeted two ships associated with Israel in the Red Sea’s Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, also known as the Gate of Tears. Notably, their statement did not mention any attacks on U.S. ships. The Houthi group further expressed their intentions to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red and Arab Seas until the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip ceases.
Yemen’s military has previously issued a warning that all Israeli ships or entities connected to Israel will be considered “legitimate targets” for attack until the war in Gaza comes to an end. This statement aligns with the Houthi group’s claim of preventing Israeli ships from operating in the region. In November, the Houthi group had also announced the capture of an Israeli ship, demonstrating their determination to confront Israeli presence in these waters.
The recent attacks on a U.S. naval ship and commercial vessels in the Red Sea have raised concerns about the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict. The involvement of the Houthi rebel group, claiming responsibility for targeting Israeli vessels, adds another layer to the already complex geopolitical situation in the region. As the Pentagon continues to investigate the origin of the attacks and gather more information, the repercussions of these incidents on regional tensions remain uncertain.
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