A United States Navy guided-missile destroyer shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile and a drone launched by Houthi terrorists on Thursday in the Red Sea as the Iran-backed group continues to launch attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Following the missile and drone attack, U.S. Central Command released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, detailing the latest incident involving the Houthis in the Red Sea.
“The USS MASON (DDG 87) shot down one drone and one anti-ship ballistic missile in the Southern Red Sea that were fired by the Houthis between 5:45 – 6: 10 p.m. (Sanaa time) on Dec. 28,” U.S. Central Command wrote. “There was no damage to any of the 18 ships in the area or reported injuries. This is the 22nd attempted attack by Houthis on international shipping since Oct. 19.”
Thursday’s attack in the Red Sea comes two days after the USS Laboon and F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group shot down two land attack cruise missiles, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and 12 attack drones as part of a 10-hour Houthi attack against U.S. forces in the Red Sea.
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Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder addressed the string of Red Sea attacks earlier this month during a press briefing.
“We’re continuing to take the situation in the Red Sea extremely seriously, there should be no doubt about that,” Ryder stated. “The actions that we’ve seen from these Houthi forces are destabilizing, they’re dangerous, and clearly a flagrant violation of international law. And so this is an international problem that requires an international solution.”
As part of the “international solution,” the United States and its allies also announced a multinational task force that is expected to take steps to address the repeated Houthi attacks launched from Yemen against ships in the Red Sea.
“The recent escalation in reckless Houthi attacks originating from Yemen threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at the time. “The Red Sea is a critical waterway that has been essential to freedom of navigation and a major commercial corridor that facilitates international trade.”
