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US warships and commercial vessels attacked by drones in Red Sea: Report

AP | | Posted by Singh Rahul Sunilkumar
Dec 03, 2023 10:14 PM IST

Pentagon aware of reports of attack on US warship in Red Sea

An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said, potentially marking a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

In this image released by the US Department of Defense, the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) is returning to homeport at Norfolk, Virginia after operating in the US 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on July 2, 2013. ABC News reported October 14 that Washington was sending the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group to support the USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying warships, which were already in the region. (Photo by Ryan D. McLearnon / US Department of Defense / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / US Department of Defense/US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan D. McLearnon" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS(AFP)
In this image released by the US Department of Defense, the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) is returning to homeport at Norfolk, Virginia after operating in the US 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on July 2, 2013. ABC News reported October 14 that Washington was sending the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group to support the USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying warships, which were already in the region. (Photo by Ryan D. McLearnon / US Department of Defense / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / US Department of Defense/US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan D. McLearnon" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS(AFP)

“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon said.

The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea, without elaborating.

The Pentagon did not identify where it believed the fire came from. However, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel as it wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the attack began about 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen, and had gone on for as much as five hours. Another U.S. official who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason said the Carney had intercepted at least one drone during the attack.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthis. However, a Houthi military spokesman earlier said an “important” statement would be released shortly.

Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as a truce briefly halted fighting and Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, the collapse of the truce and the resumption of punishing Israeli airstrikes and its ground offensive there had raised the risk of the seaborne attacks resuming.

Earlier in November, the Houthis seized a vehicle transport ship also linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles also landed near another U.S. warship last week after it assisted a vessel linked to Israel that had briefly been seized by gunmen.

However, the Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, further raising the stakes in the growing maritime conflict. In 2016, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missiles that destroyed three coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory to retaliate for missiles being fired at U.S. Navy ships at the time.

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