Mobilization of bomb-laden unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-ship cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles
US and British naval ships shoot down 18 unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles
Authorities announced that Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched the largest-scale drones and missiles ever targeting ships sailing in the Red Sea on the 10th, and that the US and British navies shot down the projectiles through large-scale naval combat. No immediate damage was reported.
This was despite the fact that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels were scheduled to vote at the UN Security Council on this day to condemn the Houthis’ attacks and demand an immediate halt.
The Houthis claim their attacks on civilian ships were aimed at stopping the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, but their attacks are jeopardizing a vital trade route linking Asia and the Middle East to Europe, and could lead to US retaliation for Yemen. The risk of attack is increasing.
According to private intelligence company Ambry, the attacks occurred in the Yemeni ports of Hodeidah and Mocha. Ambry added that ships that witnessed missile and drone attacks in Hodeidah urged U.S. allied warships in the region to “move forward at full speed.”
Ambry also said ships observed missiles being launched off Mocha, followed by drones and small vessels. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also confirmed the Hodeidah attack.
The U.S. Central Command announced that the Houthi rebels’ “complex attack” that day included a bomb-laden drone, an anti-ship cruise missile, and an anti-ship ballistic missile. Afterwards, 18 drones, two cruise missiles, and an anti-ship missile were launched against the U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Dwight Eisenhower. It was said to have been shot down by U.S. F-18 fighter jets and the U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Gravely, USS Rapun, USS Mason, and Britain’s HMS Diamond.
“This is the 26th attack by Houthi rebels against civilian commercial vessels in the Red Sea route since November 19,” Central Command said.
Meanwhile, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said, “HMS Diamond shot down several drones using Sea Viper missiles and cannons. “This is the largest attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea to date,” he said.
He said: “The UK and its allies have already made it clear that these unlawful attacks cannot be tolerated and that the Houthis will have to face the consequences if they continue. “We will take the necessary steps to protect innocent lives and the global economy,” he added.
[두바이(아랍에미리트)=AP/뉴시스]
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.