An American warship and several merchant vessels were attacked in the Red Sea on Sunday, the Pentagon confirmed.
The attack on US maritime vessels may represent a significant escalation in a series of attacks in the Middle East linked to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The Pentagon confirmed that the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney, based in waters between Africa and Asia, was attacked.
On October 19, images showed the US ship defending itself against and successfully shooting down a combination of Iran-backed Houthi missiles and aircraft.
The Pentagon said Sunday morning: “We are aware of reports of attacks on the USS Carney and merchant vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available.”
Pictured: USS Carney, DDG 64, in Jacksonville, Florida. The Pentagon said: “We are aware of reports of attacks on the USS Carney and merchant vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available.”
This image taken Oct. 19, 2023 shows the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) fending off a combination of Houthi missiles
The British military had previously said there had been a suspected drone strike and explosions in the Red Sea, without elaborating.
The Pentagon did not say where it believed the fire came from.
Houthi rebels have launched a series of attacks on ships in the Red Sea and fired drones and rockets at Israel, which is waging war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Yemeni rebels were officially recognized as a terrorist organization by the US under the Trump administration – until Biden removed the militants from the list in 2021.
Aid groups said at the time that Trump’s move could further devastate the country, which plunged into civil war in 2014.
Backed by Iran, the group expressed support for Hamas after the terror group’s attack on Israel on October 7 and has carried out additional attacks since then.
Just last week, Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired missiles at a U.S. Navy destroyer off the coast of Yemen, marking a “significant escalation” with American forces.
The USS Mason responded to a distress call on Sunday from an Israeli-linked chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden that had been hijacked by armed rebels.
The tanker Central Park was carrying a cargo of phosphoric acid when its crew called for help, saying: “They have been attacked by an unknown entity.”
Allied ships from a counter-piracy task force operating in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, including the USS Mason, responded to the call for help and requested “the release of the ship” when they reached the tanker.
“Five armed individuals then abandoned the ship and attempted to escape in their small boat,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement, adding: “The Mason pursued the attackers, which ultimately led to their surrender.”
Hours later, at 1:41 a.m. local time, two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen and then landed near the US warship – a guided-missile destroyer – raising the stakes amid a series of ship attacks linked to the war between Israel and Hamas increased.
Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Ionian Sea, October 2023
Both missiles missed the target by 10 nautical miles and landed in the water.
The tanker hijacked last Sunday was identified as the Liberian-flagged Central Park by the shipping company Zodiac Maritime following its seizure.
Yemen’s internationally recognized government blamed the attack on Houthi rebels, although the rebels who control the capital Sanaa did not acknowledge the occupation or the rocket attack.
Central Command did not identify the attackers but said there was a rocket launch from Houthi-controlled Yemen early Monday morning.
“The missiles landed in the Gulf of Aden approximately 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) from the ships,” the statement said. “The USS Mason was completing its response to the distress call from the M/V Central Park at the time of the missile launch. There was no damage or reported injuries to either vessel during this incident.”
Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM commander, said: “Security of maritime areas is critical to regional stability.” “We will continue to work with allies and partners to ensure the security of international shipping lanes.”