In a troubling incident in international waters in the southern Red Sea, three commercial vessels faced attacks on Sunday. The US military, responding to distress calls, revealed that Yemen’s Houthi group claimed responsibility for launching drones and missiles on two Israeli vessels.
The American destroyer, Carney, intervened to provide assistance after missile and drone launches originating from Houthi-controlled territory. The targeted Israeli ships were identified as Unity Explorer and Number 9, according to the Houthi movement. The attacks were reportedly in response to the demands of the Yemeni people and calls from Islamic nations to support the Palestinian cause.
The US military stated that Carney successfully intercepted three drones during the rescue operation. While it remains unclear if the warship itself was a target, the military considered the attacks a threat to international commerce.
Attributing the attacks to Iran, the US military declared its intention to coordinate with international allies for an appropriate response. In Tel Aviv, an Israeli military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, emphasized that the two damaged ships had no connection to Israel.
This incident follows a series of maritime attacks in the Middle East since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas on October 7. In November, the Houthis seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship, and they have previously targeted Israel with ballistic missiles and armed drones.
The Unity Explorer, a Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier, and Number 9, a Panama-flagged container ship, were both hit. The vessels are owned and managed by Unity Explorer Ltd and Dao Shipping Ltd, and Number 9 Shipping Ltd and Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), respectively.
BSM confirmed that Number 9 sustained damage from a projectile while transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait but reported no injuries or pollution. Ambrey, a British maritime security company, noted drone attacks on both a bulk
