The USS Carney, a U.S. Navy warship located near the coast of Yemen in the Middle East, intercepted multiple missiles Thursday, according to two U.S. officials.
The anonymous U.S. officials told CNN that the missiles were fired by the Houthis, an Iranian-backed group previously designated by the United States as a terrorist organization. The Houthis are currently involved in a conflict in Yemen.
One of the U.S. officials noted that roughly two or three missiles were intercepted; however, the officials said it was not clear what the intended target was of the missiles.
According to a post on X by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, which showed photos of the USS Carney transiting the Suez Canal into the Red Sea on Wednesday, the guided-missile destroyer has been deployed to the Middle East region “to help ensure maritime security & stability in regional waters.”
The interception of missiles near the coast of Yemen is the latest incident in the Middle East, which has witnessed a significant increase in tension since the Hamas terrorist attacks launched against Israel earlier this month. Both Hamas and the Houthis are supported by Iran.
READ MORE: Pics: US A-10s arrive in Middle East after terrorist attacks in Israel
Previously, a Wednesday press release by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) noted that the U.S. military had intercepted attack drones that had targeted an Iraqi air base housing American troops.
“In the last 24 hours, the U.S. military defended against three drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in Iraq. In western Iraq, U.S. forces engaged two drones, destroying one and damaging the second, resulting in minor injuries to Coalition forces,” the press release stated. “Separately in northern Iraq, U.S. forces engaged and destroyed a drone, resulting in no injuries or damage. We are continuing to assess the impacts to operations.”
CENTCOM described the current situation in the Middle East as a “moment of heightened alert,” during which the U.S. military is “vigilantly monitoring” Iraq and the surrounding region.
The press release added, “We want to emphasize U.S. forces will defend U.S. and Coalition forces against any threat.”
This was a breaking news story. The details were periodically updated as more information became available.
