ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched an anti-ship cruise missile towards an American destroyer in the Red Sea on Sunday, but the missile was shot down by a US fighter jet. This attack comes amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and it adds to the escalating wave of assaults on global shipping. The targeted corridor is crucial for the transportation of energy and cargo shipments from Asia and the Middle East to Europe via the Suez Canal.
The Houthis, a Shiite rebel group that has been supported by Iran since they seized Yemen’s capital in 2014, have not yet claimed responsibility for the attack. It remains unclear if the US will take any retaliatory measures in response to this incident. President Joe Biden has previously stated that he is prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect American people and ensure the free flow of international commerce.
The missile was launched from Hodeida, a port city on the Red Sea that is firmly held by the Houthis. It was aimed at the USS Laboon, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer operating in the southern part of the Red Sea, according to a statement from the US military’s Central Command. Fortunately, there were no injuries or damage reported.
The US and its allies began their strikes on the Houthis last Friday, targeting 28 locations and hitting over 60 targets with cruise missiles and bombs. These strikes, which included weapon depots, radars, and command centers, were in response to the Houthis’ relentless attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
While the damage caused by the strikes is still uncertain, the Houthis have claimed that five of their troops were killed and six others were injured. The US followed up with a strike on a Houthi radar site the following day.
The attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have resulted in a slowdown of maritime activities. The US Navy has issued a warning to American-flagged vessels to avoid certain areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for 72 hours after the initial airstrikes.
Although the Houthis have claimed that the US struck a site near Hodeida in response to their missile attack, the Americans and the United Kingdom have not acknowledged conducting any such strike. It is possible that the blast was the result of a misfiring Houthi missile.
The conflict between the Houthis and the Yemeni government-in-exile, supported by Saudi Arabia and backed by the US, has been ongoing since 2015. The war has caused immense suffering, resulting in the deaths of over 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and leading to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The recent escalation poses a significant risk of further regional conflict.
The US military has not explicitly confirmed that the missile was targeting the Laboon, but the fact that American sailors received combat ribbons for their actions suggests that they were engaged in hostilities with the Houthis.
As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, the Biden administration and its allies are working to de-escalate the situation and prevent any further conflict. However, the recent strikes have raised concerns that the situation could spiral out of control, threatening the fragile peace between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as the ongoing ceasefire in Yemen.