US destroyer shoots down anti-ship missiles fired from Yemen
A United States destroyer shot down two antiship ballistic missiles fired from Yemen on Saturday as it responded to a call for help from a container ship that was hit in a separate strike, the US military said.
The missiles were launched from territory controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a social media post, describing it as the “23rd illegal attack by the Houthis on international shipping” since Nov 19.
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping lane with strikes they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Islamist group Hamas.
CENTCOM said the USS Gravely and USS Laboon, both destroyers, responded to a request for assistance from the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container ship that reported being struck by a missile in the Red Sea.
While responding, the Gravely shot down the missiles, which were fired “toward the ships”, it said.
The attacks by the Yemeni rebels, who have said they are targeting Israel and Israeli-linked vessels, are endangering a transit route that carries up to 12 per cent of global trade, prompting the US to set up a multinational naval task force earlier this month to protect Red Sea shipping.
Deaths from the Israel-Hamas conflict have sparked widespread anger in the Middle East and provided an impetus for attacks by armed groups across the region that are opposed to Israel.
US forces in Iraq and Syria have also repeatedly come under fire from drone and rocket attacks that Washington says are being carried out by Iran-backed armed groups.