Multiple Missiles and Drones Fired at Commercial Vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi Rebels, Pentagon Reports
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An Israeli navy missile boat patrols in the Red Sea off the coast of Israel's southern port city of Eliat on December 26, 2023. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)
The Pentagon reported that on January 10, 2024, at approximately 9:15 p.m. local time, Houthi rebels launched eighteen drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile towards commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The combined efforts of fighter jets from the USS Dwight Eisenhower, USS Gravely, USS Laboon, USS Mason, and the HMS Diamond successfully shot down all the incoming projectiles.
The motive behind the attacks is unclear, but there were several commercial ships in the area. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, claimed that the group had fired a “large number” of missiles and drones at a U.S. ship providing support to Israel amid its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.
The Houthi militant group, which controls large portions of Yemen, has been attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea since the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel. The U.S. military has been advocating for an international task force to protect commercial vessels traversing the Red Sea.
Since Nov. 19, there have been 26 such Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes, according to CENTCOM. The USS Gravely shot down two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis on Dec. 30, and four Houthi boats attempted to board the Danish-owned container ship, Maersk Hangzhou, on Dec. 31. U.S. forces opened fire, sinking three of the four boats and killing their crews.
The White House accused Tehran of being “deeply involved” in the Houthi’s Red Sea attacks, an allegation Iran’s deputy foreign minister denied. In a Nov. 15 interview with CBS News, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also denied that Iran was responsible for a drone fired from Yemen that was shot down by the USS Thomas Hudner.
In response to the attacks, energy giant BP temporarily suspended all gas and oil shipments in the Red Sea, and home furnishing giant Ikea could soon face shortages due to major shippers being forced to bypass the Red Sea.
Faris Tanyos is the news editor for CBSNews.com, where he writes and edits stories and tracks breaking news. He previously worked as a digital news producer at several local news stations up and down the West Coast.
First published on January 9, 2024 / 10:20 PM EST
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