U.S. Central Command said Sunday that the Houthis fired an anti-ballistic missile at a tanker ship carrying oil and chemicals in the Gulf of Ayden on Saturday, which landed in the water but caused no damage to the ship or injuries to the crew. Announced.
In a post on X, U.S. Central Command said the Iranian-backed Houthis are likely targeting the MV Torum Toor, which is flagged and owned by a U.S. company. The ship was reportedly sailing in the Gulf of Aden at 11:45pm local time when the incident occurred.
Around 9 p.m. that night, U.S. Central Command shot down two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on a one-way flight over the Red Sea in self-defense.
Central Command said a third unmanned aircraft was also heading to the area and crashed due to an apparent mid-flight malfunction.
US, coalition forces destroy 6 Houthi attack drones
A protester holds a model of a Houthi missile during a protest against U.S.-led airstrikes and sanctions against the Houthis in Sanaa, Yemen, February 16, 2024. (Mohamed Mohamed/Xinhua News Agency, via Getty Images)
“CENTCOM forces have identified the UAV and determined it poses an imminent threat to commercial shipping and U.S. Navy vessels in the area,” Central Command said. “These steps are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make the high seas safer and more secure for the U.S. Navy and commercial vessels.”
Despite efforts by the United States and its allies to protect commercial shipping, Houthi attacks continue in the region.
On Thursday, the Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from southern Yemen into the Gulf of Aden, but the missiles hit the Palauan-flagged, British-owned cargo ship MV Islander, injuring one person slightly. Ta.
Greek M/V Sea Champion escapes minor damage from Houthi missile attack
U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that the aircraft carrier USS Mason shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile fired into the Gulf of Aden. (U.S. Central Command, X @CENTCOM)
The attack came after the Pentagon confirmed on Monday that the Houthis shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen, the second such attack since November 2023.
Iran-backed Houthi terrorists also fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles on Monday at a Greek-flagged ship carrying grain to Yemen, causing minor damage, according to U.S. Central Command.
Cargo ship ‘flooded’ after Houthi attack in Gulf of Aden
This photo provided by the Indian Navy on Saturday, January 27, 2024, shows a view of the oil tanker Merlin Luanda on fire after being attacked in the Gulf of Aden. The crew of a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker attacked by a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels are battling a fire aboard the ship caused by the attack. (Indian Navy, via AP)
Despite minor damage to the U.S.-owned M/V Sea Champion, the ship continued sailing toward Aden, Yemen, ultimately delivering grain for the benefit of the Yemeni people.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Central Command said the M/V Sea Champion has provided humanitarian aid to the country 11 times in the past five years.
Fox News’ Greg Norman and Liz Friden contributed to this report.
