The Houthi rebels, who claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack, say they will continue targeting Israeli ships “until Israeli aggression against our brothers in the Gaza Strip ceases.”
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A “direct threat” for maritime security, according to Washington. A US destroyer shot down three drones on Sunday, December 3, while providing assistance to commercial ships in the Red Sea, the US Middle East Military Command (Centcom) said in a statement. communicated. Earlier, the Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, announced that they had carried out a “operation” against “Israeli ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait”a strategic waterway linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Ade, in retaliation for the war waged by the Israeli army against Hamas.
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Sunday, “there were four attacks on three separate commercial vessels operating in the international waters of the southern Red Sea”again according to Centcom. “The destroyer (…) USS Carney responded to the ships’ distress calls and provided them with assistance”shooting down three drones that were heading towards the warship during the day, he said.
Attacks “financed by Iran”, according to Washington
The destroyer detected a missile, fired from an area of Yemen controlled by the Houthis, which ended up near a Bahamas-flagged ship, the Unity Explorer. The cargo ship then reported minor damage from another missile coming from a rebel-held area. The Number 9, a Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier, reported being damaged by a missile from Yemen, without reporting any casualties. The Sophie II, of the same flag, declared having been hit, without suffering significant damage.
“We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, although launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are entirely financed by Iran”according to Centcom. “The United States will consider all appropriate responses in close coordination with its international allies and partners.” For their part, the Houthis only mention the attack on two boats, the Unity Explorer and the Number 9, one targeted with a “missile”the other “with a drone”according to the press release, after the buildings were “rejected warning messages” Houthis. Rebels will continue targeting Israeli ships “until the Israeli aggression against our brothers in the Gaza Strip ceases”they said.