The USS Carney shot down three drones while assisting the ships, officials said.
December 3, 2023, 5:12 p.m. ET
• 4 min reading
Three merchant ships were attacked in the international waters of the Red Sea on Sunday, US military officials said – as Houthi militants claimed responsibility for the latest raid in the Middle East, where tensions have been high since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
“These attacks pose a direct threat to international trade and maritime security,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement. “They have endangered the lives of international crews from multiple countries around the world.”
An important shipping route runs through the sea between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel sparked the war, there have been a series of rocket attacks from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on ships in the Red Sea, according to the Pentagon.
Officials on Sunday blamed Iran.
“We… have every reason to believe that these attacks, although launched by the Houthis in Yemen, were entirely enabled by Iran. “The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with our international allies and partners,” CENTCOM said.
According to the Pentagon, since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Iraq and Syria, US forces have been repeatedly attacked by Iranian-backed proxies and subsequently carried out several retaliatory strikes.
The three merchant vessels or vessels were identified in Sunday’s statement as Unity Explorer, which is British-owned but sailing (or registered) in the Bahamas; the number 9, which flies the Panama flag and operates in Bermuda and the United Kingdom; and the Sophie II, also registered in Panama.
This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows the USS Carney in the Mediterranean Sea on Oct. 23, 2018. Ryan U. Kledzik/AP, FILE
According to CENTCOM, Sunday’s missile attacks were carried out over a period of more than seven hours: first on the Unity Explorer, although the missile exploded nearby; and a second time on the Unity Explorer, which suffered “minor damage” from this attack. The number 9 was then hit by a rocket and about an hour later the Sophie II was also hit.
No casualties were reported, according to CENTCOM.
The USS Carney, a Navy destroyer patrolling the area, intercepted and shot down three drones on Sunday while providing assistance to the ships, CENTCOM said. At least one of them came from Houthi areas in Yemen.
The warship suffered no damage. It is not clear whether the Carney – which has fired several such munitions in recent weeks – was the intended target of the drones.
In a statement, the Houthis said they targeted two of the merchant ships because they were linked to Israelis and “rejected warnings” from Houthi forces.
The Houthis will “continue to prevent Israeli ships from sailing through the Red and Arabian Seas until Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip ceases,” their statement said, referring to the conflict with Hamas following its terror attack .
A U.S. official told ABC News that some of the merchant ships involved were believed to have ties to Israel.
ABC News’ Nasser Atta contributed to this report.