US warship and multiple merchant ships attacked by Houthis in Red Sea
An American warship and several commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea on Sunday, the Pentagon confirmed earlier today . Yemen's Houthi rebels later claimed attacks on two ships they described as linked to Israel, but did not acknowledge targeting a U.S. Navy ship.
The attack potentially marked a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Middle East linked to the war between Israel and Hamas.
“We are aware of reports of attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon told The Associated Press.
The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.
DDG 64 – USS Carney
The British military previously said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea, without providing further details.
The Pentagon did not identify the source of the attack. However, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying the first ship was hit by a missile and the second by a drone while in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Saree did not mention any American warships involved in the attack. He said the attacks would continue as long as Israel continued its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis have launched a series of attacks against shipping in the Red Sea, as well as firing drones and missiles at Israel during the war.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the attack began around 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen, and continued for about five hours. Another US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason, said the Carney had intercepted at least one drone during the attack.
Global shipping has been increasingly targeted as the war between Israel and Hamas threatens to become a broader regional conflict, although a truce briefly halted the fighting and Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The end of the truce and the resumption of Israeli airstrikes and their ground offensive have increased the risk of a resumption of attacks on trade in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea areas.
In early November, the Houthis seized a vehicle transport ship, also linked to Israel, in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the ship near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles also landed near another American warship last week after assisting an Israel-linked ship that was briefly seized by gunmen.
These attacks will certainly have heavy repercussions both on global trade and on the price of oil which transits abundantly in this area.
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The article US warship and multiple merchant vessels attacked by Houthis in the Red Sea comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/nave-da-guerra-usa-e-piu-mercantili-attaccati-dagli-houthi-nel-mar-rosso/ on Sun, 03 Dec 2023 17:26:02 +0000.