U.S. Warship Successfully Defends Against Houthi Attack in Red Sea
The U.S. military's Central Command announced on Sunday that it had intercepted and shot down an anti-ship cruise missile launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. The missile was targeting the American warship USS Laboon, which was conducting operations in the Red Sea. This incident marks the first acknowledged attack by the Houthis on a U.S. warship since the U.S. and U.K. forces began retaliatory strikes against the Iran-backed group. These strikes were initiated in response to weeks of Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the vital shipping corridor.
Despite the counterstrikes carried out by the U.S. and U.K., the attacks on commercial vessels persisted. The British military's Maritime Trade Operations agency reported on Monday that a missile struck a commercial vessel in the Red Sea.
For several weeks, the Houthis have been targeting international commercial vessels in the Red Sea using missiles and explosives-laden drones. They claim that these actions are a legitimate response to Israel's ongoing conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Despite the U.S. and allied strikes, the Houthis have shown no signs of being deterred from targeting cargo ships in the important shipping corridor, according to recent reports.
Mohammed Abdulsalam, a chief political negotiator for the Houthi movement, stated to the Reuters news agency that they will continue their attacks to prevent Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of the occupied Palestine.
The U.K. was also involved in the strikes against the Houthis. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the strikes as a "last resort" following extensive diplomatic efforts and warnings from Washington and London for the militants to cease their attacks on ships.
"We will always prioritize the safeguarding of our security when necessary," stated Sunak.
