U.S. Warship and Several Commercial Ships Attacked in the Red Sea

Iran-Backed Houthi Rebels Claim Responsibility for Attacking Two Ships

By Cullen Linebarger, GATEWAY       3 Dec 2023

An American warship and several other commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, potentially marking a  escalation in a series of naval forays in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

An American warship and multiple commercial ships are under attack in the Red Sea, according to the Pentagon.

The warship is reportedly the USS Carney.

“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

The Pentagon’s statement came just after British officials revealed it had received intelligence of a drone attack in the Red Sea’s Bab al-Mandab strait. Sky News reports that British officials said the drone activity originated from Yemen.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attack began about 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen. The assault lasted for as much as five hours.

Another U.S. official said the Carney had intercepted at least one drone during the attack.

The Pentagon has not identified the culprit behind the attacks.

According to the Associated Press, Yemen’s Houthi rebels later claimed attacks on two ships they described as being linked to Israel but refused to acknowledge targeting a U.S. Navy vessel.

As the New York Post notes, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel.

The Trump Administration recognized the Yemeni rebels as a terrorist group, but Biden decided to remove the militants from the list in 2021.