A US Defense Department spokesman told reporters that three “ground attack cruise missiles and several drones” were intercepted by the destroyer, adding that the attack was launched from Yemen and “was likely directed at targets in Israel.”
The destroyer USS Carney was on patrol in the Red Sea as part of strengthening the US military presence under President Joe Biden’s orders to maintain stability in light of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The spokesman indicated that the missiles were launched from Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthi rebels are waging a war against the government supported by the Saudi-led coalition.
According to the spokesman, no casualties were reported, and “we cannot confirm what these missiles were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen and were heading north along the Red Sea.”
He added, “Our defensive response was the response we would have taken in the face of any similar threat in the region.”
He added, “We have the ability to defend our broader interests in the region and deter regional escalation and expansion of the conflict that began with Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians.”
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