The USS Carney stopped a drone attack on three commercial vessels in the Red Sea, preserving the safety of crews representing 14 nations. Houthi Yemeni rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, targeting a UK-owned cargo ship and two Panama-flagged vessels. The US Central Command emphasized the threat to international commerce and maritime security and the involvement of the USS Carney in the multinational response. The incident highlights the global implications of regional conflicts and the need for maritime security measures.
USS Carney warship
In a display of maritime defence, the American warship USS Carney stopped a drone attack on three commercial vessels in the Red Sea, preserving the safety of crews representing 14 nations. Houthi Yemeni rebels claimed responsibility for the attack. The incident unfolded as the drones, deployed by the Houthi rebels in Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, targeted a UK-owned and operated cargo ship flying the Bahamian flag, along with two Panama-flagged vessels, one of which was partially UK-owned.
The US military reported that two of the ships sustained damage from missile strikes, fortunately without causing casualties. An additional layer of concern arose as it was revealed that one of the missiles might have been aimed at the USS Carney, though this remains unconfirmed.
The Israeli military strongly refuted a Houthi spokesman's claim that the rebel group's navy had targeted two Israeli ships by emphasizing that the ships had no connection to Israel. The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran and backing Hamas in their ongoing conflict with Israel, signalled a concerning shift in their tactics by explicitly targeting Israeli-affiliated ships.
A group of Houthi rebels
Providing insights into the gravity of the situation, US Central Command (Centcom), responsible for overseeing operations in the Middle East, emphasised that the attacks posed a "direct threat to international commerce and maritime security" and jeopardised the lives of the multinational crews aboard the affected vessels. Additionally, Centcom stated that there was a strong likelihood that Iran was involved in these attacks: "We also have every reason to believe that Iran is fully enabling these attacks, even though the Houthis in Yemen are carrying them out."
In response to this incident, the United States Central Command asserted its commitment to "considering all appropriate responses in coordination with international allies and partners." Centcom underlined the significance of this event by reporting that two missiles were subsequently launched toward the USS Carney from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.
Historical background suggests that the Houthi rebels have been a central player in the protracted Yemeni civil war that began in 2014. This conflict emerged as a struggle for power between the Yemeni government, supported by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia, and the Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran. The Houthis aim to govern all of Yemen and support external movements against the United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. They have launched repeated missile and drone attacks against several Saudi cities. The fighting in Yemen is widely seen as part of the Iran-Saudi Arabia proxy war. Since 2014, the Houthi-controlled territory has kept on expanding, today covering almost the entirety of the north-eastern part of the country.
In summary, This recent drone attack in the Red Sea introduces new dimensions to the conflict as Houthi rebels extend their reach to international waters. The explicit targeting of vessels affiliated with Israel underscores the potential for the conflict to escalate further. The involvement of the USS Carney and the multinational response highlights the global implications of regional conflicts and raises a big issue concerning whether or not missiles were launched against a US warship, signifying the implementation of high measures to ensure maritime security and protect international commerce.