US Central Command said Sunday that the Houthis launched an anti-ballistic missile at a tanker carrying oil and chemicals in Aiden Gulf on Saturday, although it hit the water and caused no damage to the ship or any injuries. on board.
In a post on The ship was sailing in the Gulf of Aden at the time of the incident, which reportedly occurred at 11:45 p.m. local time.
At approximately 9 p.m. that night, U.S. Central Command forces shot down two one-way unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the Red Sea in self-defense.
Central Command said a third UAV was also heading toward the area and crashed due to what appeared to be an in-flight failure.
US AND COALITION FORCES DESTROY 6 HOUTI ONE-WAY ATTACK DRONES
A protester holds a model of a Houthi missile during a protest held against US-led airstrikes and sanctions against the Houthi group in Sana’a, Yemen, on February 16, 2024. (Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua via Getty Images)
“CENTCOM forces identified the unmanned aerial vehicles and determined that they posed an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy vessels in the region,” Central Command said. “These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer for the U.S. Navy and merchant ships.”
Houthi attacks continue to occur in the region, despite efforts by the United States and its allies to protect merchant ships.
On Thursday, the Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from southern Yemen into the Gulf of Aden, but this time, the missiles hit the MV Islander, a Palau-flagged cargo ship owned by the United Kingdom, causing a minor injury. and minor damage.
CHAMPION OF THE SEA M/V WITH GREEK FLAG SUFFERS MINOR DAMAGE IN A HOUTI MISSILE ATTACK
The USS Mason shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile launched toward the Gulf of Aden on Saturday, US Central Command said. (US Central Command, @CENTCOM on X)
The attack came after the Pentagon confirmed that the Houthis shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen on Monday, marking the second such attack since November 2023.
Iran-backed Houthi terrorists also fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles on Monday at a Greek-flagged ship headed to Yemen to deliver grain, causing minor damage, according to US Central Command.
CARGO SHIP ‘TAKING WATER’ AFTER HUTHI ATTACK IN GULF OF ADEN
In this photo provided by the Indian Navy on Saturday, January 27, 2024, the oil tanker Marlin Luanda is seen on fire after an attack in the Gulf of Aden. The crew aboard a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker hit by a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels are battling a fire aboard the stricken ship caused by the attack. (Indian Navy via AP)
Despite minor damage to the U.S.-owned M/V Sea Champion, the ship continued its course toward Aden, Yemen, where it ultimately delivered the grain for the benefit of the Yemeni people.
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Central Command said the M/V Sea Champion has delivered humanitarian aid to the country 11 times in the last five years.
Fox News’ Greg Norman and Liz Friden contributed to this report.