The Pentagon reported that many commercial boats were assaulted in the Red Sea on December 3.
“Today, there were four attacks against three separate commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea. These three vessels are connected to 14 separate nations,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
During a five-hour period, the Arleigh-Burke Class destroyer USS Carney reacted to repeated distress calls from the ships and offered aid, as well as taking preemptive action against UAVs launched from Houthi-controlled locations in Yemen against the US warship.
Around 9:15 a.m., the USS Carney spotted the first strike. Local time, an anti-ship ballistic missile strike was launched from "Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the MV Unity Explorer, impacting in the vicinity of the vessel."
A US warship responded to provide help. The Unity Explorer is a British vessel registered in the Bahamas. A bulk cargo ship owned and controlled by two nations is crewed by sailors from both countries.
The USS CARNEY then attacked and shot down a UAV launched from Houthi-controlled regions in Yemen on its way to its position in international waters about 12 p.m.
“We cannot assess at this time whether the Carney was a target of the UAVs,” CENTCOM said. “There was no damage to the U.S. vessel or injuries to personnel.”
At 12:35 p.m., the Unity Explorer reported being hit by a missile fired from Houthi-controlled regions in Yemen. The Carney replied to the distress call once more.
“While assisting with the damage assessment, Carney detected another inbound UAV, destroying the drone with no damage or injuries on the Carney or Unity Explorer. Unity Explorer reports minor damage from the missile strike,” the U.S. command said.
Two additional vessels, one Panamanian, one Bermudan, and one United Kingdom. The Panamanian registered bulk ship MV Sophie II, crewed by sailors from eight nationalities, and the owned and operated bulk carrier MV Number 9 were both hit by a missile later that day at 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. respectively. The Carney reacted to both ships' distress calls.
Both assaults, according to CENTCOM, were launched by missiles "fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen."
“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security. They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world. We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran. The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners,” CENTCOM said.
The British military confirmed earlier on December 3 that there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea.
According to Yahya Saree, a military spokesperson for the Houthis, a vessel was damaged by a missile and a drone while in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. He said that the ships ignored warnings from Houthi authorities before to the strike.
“It is enough pride and honor for us in Yemen that we have taken an honorable position that will be immortalized in history in supporting Gaza and Palestine, waging the battle of confrontation with the Zionist enemy,” he claimed, referring to Israel.
The Houthi organization, which has long been backed by Iran, also carried out "painful strikes" on Israeli ships "with ballistic and winged missiles and drones," according to Mr. Saree, who was referred to as a brigadier general by state media.
“The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea (and Gulf of Aden) until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops,” Mr. Saree said, according to The Associated Press. “The Yemeni armed forces renew their warning to all Israeli ships or those associated with Israelis that they will become a legitimate target if they violate what is stated in this statement.”
However, the official did not go into detail about the strike, including if the target was an American vessel. However, he believed that the attack was in retaliation to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began on Oct. 7 when Hamas conducted a series of terrorist strikes against Israel, killing around 1,200 civilians. Israel has recently launched a large bombing campaign against Hamas, with officials in Gaza claiming that over 10,000 Palestinians have perished as a result.
“We will continue the battle of confrontation with the forces of aggression and tyranny, and we will move forward on the path of victory for our homeland and our people and for our nation’s just issues, most notably the Palestinian issue,” said Mr. Saree, according to Yemeni state-backed media.
The Houthis are a Shia group that the United States removed from its terrorist list. In 2021, the Department of State has launched a series of strikes against ships in the Red Sea, as well as drones and missiles aimed toward Israel.
Notably, the USS Carney has previously fired down a number of drones and missiles, according to U.S. Last week, Central Command made a statement. The warship arrived in the region on October 8 in reaction to Hamas's strike on Israel the previous day.
The Houthis captured a vehicle transport ship linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen in November. The warship is still being held by the rebels near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles also fell near another US warship last week after it aided an Israeli-linked vessel that had been briefly hijacked by attackers.
However, the Houthis have not directly attacked Americans in quite some time, upping the stakes in the escalating maritime confrontation. To respond for missiles fired at the US, the US deployed Tomahawk cruise missiles that destroyed three coastal radar installations in Houthi-controlled territory in 2016. At the time, navy ships.
Since the beginning of the Israeli war, US personnel have been targeted across the Middle East, with various Iran-aligned organizations firing rockets at military locations housing troops in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, global shipping has been increasingly targeted as the Israel-Hamas conflict threatens to escalate into a larger regional conflict, despite a short truce in which Hamas traded hostages for Palestinian inmates held by Israel. The collapse of the truce, however, and the resumption of punitive Israeli bombings and military offensives in the region, elevated the likelihood of seaborne assaults restarting.
Pentagon authorities did not respond to The Epoch Times' request for comment by press time.
