- The USS Carney intercepted 15 drones and four cruise missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and ‘en route to Israel’
- A Defense Ministry official said the drones and cruise missiles were shot down using SM-2 surface-to-air missiles.
- The Defense Ministry initially said the warship downed “several” drones and three land-attack cruise missiles before full details were released.
Shocking new details revealed that a US Navy warship shot down multiple drones and missiles during a nine-hour attack near the Yemeni coast on Thursday.
The USS Carney was stationed in the northern Red Sea when it intercepted 15 drones and four cruise missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and “en route to Israel.”
There were no injuries aboard the ship and no reports among civilians on land.
The Defense Ministry initially said the warship downed “several” drones and three land-attack cruise missiles before releasing details of the full extent of the attack.
The incident was the fourth in three days of increased aggression against US forces in the region as tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East.
The USS Carney was stationed in the northern Red Sea when it intercepted 15 drones and four cruise missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and “en route to Israel.”
The approximate area where the USS Carney intercepted the drones and missiles on Thursday
A Defense Ministry official said the drones and cruise missiles were shot down using SM-2 surface-to-air missiles.
The source added that the missiles fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militants were clearly heading towards Israel.
While a US official added that they do not believe the missiles, which were shot over the water, were aimed at the US warship.
The Houthi terrorist group in Yemen has signaled its intention to join the war against Israel.
The Al Tanf Garrison military base in Syria, where American troops are present, was targeted by two drones on Wednesday.
One was destroyed, while the other struck the base after joint action by US and coalition forces.
Another attack was reported at Conoco airport. Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iranian-backed group, has claimed credit for the attempted attack on the Conoco base, but U.S. officials have yet to confirm that specific attack.
On Tuesday, troops at al-Asad air base in Iraq intercepted three drones. In the north, troops from Al-Harir air base intercepted two more.
The Defense Ministry initially said the warship downed “several” drones and three land-attack cruise missiles before releasing details of the full extent of the attack.
A US official said they do not believe the missiles, which were shot over the water, were aimed at USS Carney
Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an attack on US forces took place on Wednesday at the Al-Tanf base, near Syria’s borders with Iraq and Jordan.
On Wednesday, a contractor at Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq died of a heart attack while sheltering amid reports of an incoming attack.
There were minor injuries at the al-Asad base, where troops were only able to intercept one of the drones and damage the other. The extent of those injuries is unclear.
It also remains unclear whether the attacks on al-Tanf air base resulted in damage or injuries.
The attacks come amid increased tensions in the Middle East over the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which many now view as a conflict between the West and the Arab world.
President Biden has been steadfast in his support for Israel since Hamas attacked on October 7, providing military aid and flying to the region in a show of strong alliance.
His visit and continued support for Israel fueled anti-American protesters in Lebanon, where crowds yesterday besieged the US embassy in Beirut.
The State Department has now issued a rare global travel advisory for Americans traveling abroad, citing the possibility of terrorist attacks and “heightened tensions” as reasons to be on high alert.