On Saturday, a U.S. warship was faced with a “wave of suicide drones” launched from Yemen. The announcement was made in a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), discussing the 14 one-way attack drones which are believed to have originated from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
“In the early morning hours of December 16 (Sanna time) the US Arliegh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS CARNEY (DDG 64), operating in the Red Sea, successfully engaged 14 unmanned aerial systems launched as a drone wave from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” the statement read. No damage to the ship occurred and there were no injuries immediately reported, CENTCOM said. “Regional Red Sea partners were alerted to the threat.”
The Daily Caller News Foundation reports the Houthis have intensified drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in or near the Red Sea, saying they would threaten any vessel intending to deliver cargo to Israel or whose ownership is linked to Israelis. Many of the targeted ships have denied any connection to Israel.
Several international shipping companies have shut down or restricted transit through the Red Sea, The Wall Street Journal reported. CMA CGM Group followed suit on Saturday, ordering container ships scheduled to transit the Red Sea to pause their journeys in safe waters.
“The situation is further deteriorating and concern of safety is increasing,” the group said in a statement. The Pentagon maintains that escalation in hostile actions against commercial shipping in the Red Sea are not driven by the Israel-Hamas war.
While CENTCOM did not directly confirm whether the Iran-backed militia intended to target the U.S. destroyer, sending a “drone wave” near U.S. warships would signal an escalation, as similar incidents in recent weeks have involved the U.S.S. Carney and other warships downing one or two drones threatening the vessels at a time. The U.S.S. Carney is deployed to the 5th fleet area of operations to prevent an escalation of hostilities throughout the Middle East, according to the statement from CENTCOM.