Houthi rebels in Yemen fired an anti-ship cruise missile towards a U.S. warship within the Purple Sea on Sunday, nevertheless it was shot down by a U.S. fighter jet.
An anti-ship cruise missile was fired at about 4:45 p.m. native time on Sunday from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen towards USS Laboon, which was working within the Southern Purple Sea, in line with U.S. Central Command. The U.S. mentioned the missile got here from close to Hodeida, a Purple Sea port metropolis lengthy held by the Houthis.
“The missile was shot down in [the] neighborhood of the coast of Hudaydah by U.S. fighter plane. There have been no accidents or injury reported,” CENTCOM mentioned in a press release.
The assault by the Houthis is the primary acknowledged by the U.S. since strikes on the rebels from the U.S. and allied nations started on Friday after weeks of assaults on transport within the Purple Sea.
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The Houthis have focused the essential hall connecting Asian and Center East vitality and cargo shipments to the Suez Canal en path to Europe over the continued warfare between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists.
It was not instantly clear whether or not the U.S. would retaliate for the newest assault, however President Biden has mentioned he “is not going to hesitate to direct additional measures to guard our folks and the free movement of worldwide commerce as crucial.”
The primary day of U.S.-led strikes on Friday hit 28 areas and greater than 60 targets with cruise missiles and bombs launched by fighter jets, warships and a submarine. The areas hit included weapon depots, radars and command facilities, in line with the U.S.
U.S. forces then carried out one other strike on Saturday on a Houthi radar web site.
Delivery by the Purple Sea has slowed due to the assaults. The U.S. Navy warned American-flagged vessels on Friday to keep away from areas round Yemen within the Purple Sea and the Gulf of Aden for 72 hours after the preliminary airstrikes.
The Houthis claimed, with out offering proof, that the U.S. struck a location close to Hodeida on Sunday across the identical time because the cruise missile assault. The U.S. and the U.Okay. didn’t acknowledge conducting any strike, suggesting it could have been the results of a misfired Houthi missile.
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The Biden administration and U.S. allies have tried to stop any wider battle because the Israel-Hamas warfare continues following Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault towards the Jewish State, however the assaults between the U.S. and the Houthis trigger concern the battle may develop.
Fox Information’ Liz Friden and The Related Press contributed to this report.