According to the US Navy, three commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea, and a US destroyer responded by shooting down three drones.
According to the report, the USS Carney supported the ships on Sunday after they were attacked from regions of Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels with Iranian support. The ships have ties to 14 countries, including the UK.
It said that although missiles struck two of the ships, no one was hurt.
According to a Houthi official, two Israeli ships were attacked by the group’s naval.
The ships had no link to Israel, according to the Israeli military.
Since the movement overthrew the nation’s government in 2014 and sparked an ongoing civil war, the Houthis, who are supported by Iran, have taken control of portions of Yemen.
Because of Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza, which is backed by Iran, it has started to target Israeli-affiliated vessels in the Red Sea.
The USS Carney discovered an anti-ship ballistic missile bursting close to the Unity Explorer, a cargo ship flying the flag of the Bahamas that is owned and operated by the United Kingdom, on Sunday morning, according to US Central Command (Centcom), the branch of the US military responsible for monitoring activities in the Middle East.
Later on, it brought down a drone that was flying directly at the Carney, however Centcom said it was unclear if the drone was intended to strike the Carney.
That afternoon, a missile fired from a location under Houthi control struck the Unity Explorer, causing minor damage.
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As the US ship responded to the ship’s distress call, it noticed an additional drone approaching and shot it down.
Subsequently, two more ships—one partially owned by the UK and the other flying the Panamanian flag—reported being hit by missiles. The USS Carney shot down a third drone while it was en route to help the second ship.
According to Centcom, the strikes posed a “direct threat to international commerce and maritime security” and had “jeopardised the lives” of the multinational crews on board the ships.
“We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran,” it continued.
“The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners.”
The US stated earlier this week that individuals with guns had taken control of a tanker off the coast of Yemen that was connected to Israel.
The cruiser was then targeted by two missiles fired from Yemeni territory under rebel Houthi control, according to Centcom.
The Houthis have proclaimed their membership in a “axis of resistance” comprised of groups with ties to Iran that oppose Israel, the United States, and the Western world.
