The US military says an American warship knocked a drone and an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Thursday.
The Houthis have routinely targeted vessels in the important Red Sea trade corridor, claiming to be acting in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is fighting the militant group Hamas.
“The USS Mason (DDG 87) shot down one drone and one anti-ship ballistic missile in the Southern Red Sea that was fired by the Houthi rebels”, claimed US Central Command (CENTCOM), referring to a guided-missile destroyer.
“There was no damage to any of the 18 ships in the area or reported injuries”, CENTCOM continued, adding that it was Houthis’ 22nd attempt to attack international shipping since mid-October.
The attacks jeopardize a transit route that transports up to 12 percent of global trade, forcing the United States to form a multinational naval task force to protect Red Sea shipping earlier this month.
In addition to military action, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions Thursday against a network implicated in financing Houthi strikes on Thursday.
The Treasury said it sanctioned the head of Yemeni’s Currency Exchangers Association in Sanaa, as well as three exchanges in Yemen and Turkey, for facilitating the flow of Iranian financial assistance to the Huthis.
The Yemeni rebels claim they are targeting Israel and Israeli-linked vessels to put an end to the Gaza offensive.
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7 when the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise cross-border attack from Gaza, killing roughly 1,140 people.
Following the attack, the US sent military aid to Israel, which has carried out a relentless campaign in Gaza, killing at least 21,320 people, largely civilians.
These killings provoked enormous outrage in the Middle East and fueled attacks by anti-Israel armed groups throughout the region.
US soldiers in Iraq and Syria have also been targeted by drone and rocket attacks carried out by Iran-backed armed groups, according to Washington.
On Monday, a drone attack in northern Iraq injured three American servicemen, prompting the US military to strike three sites it claimed were utilized by Iran-backed militants in the nation.
Also read: Israeli Embassy Removes A Video Presuming Hamas Attack In Seoul
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