(Washington) An American destroyer “operating in the northern Red Sea” on Thursday shot down three surface-to-surface missiles and several drones “potentially heading towards targets in Israel” and launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Pentagon announced .
No injuries were reported among the sailors of theUSS Carney nor among civilians on the ground “to our knowledge”, specified the American Department of Defense during a press conference.
The Iran-backed Houthis took control of the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, sparking a war against government forces that left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced, plunging the country into a crisis. of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
The interception of these drones and missiles comes in a context of increased fears by Washington of Tehran’s direct involvement in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Hamas, which has already caused several thousand deaths.
In Iraq, drone attacks against American forces and the international coalition in Iraq were “foiled” on Wednesday and the machines “shot down”, causing minor injuries, American military authorities said. Iraqi armed factions close to Iran have threatened in recent days to attack American interests in Iraq because of Washington’s support for Israel.
American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Saturday that the United States would send a second aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean, in order to “deter hostile actions against Israel or any effort to expand this war” .