USS Carney's Success: Neutralizing Drones and Intercepting Ballistic Missile Threats to Commercial Vessels
USS Carney defends against Houthi drones and swiftly assists distressed commercial vessel under ballistic missile attack, showcasing its exceptional defense capabilities and unwavering commitment to maritime safety
The USS Carney intercepted two Houthi drones and responded to a distress call from a civilian commercial vessel that was targeted by a ballistic missile in the southern Red Sea on Sunday, according to a US defense official. The destroyer, deployed with the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, successfully stopped one Houthi drone and witnessed a ballistic missile being fired at the M/V Unity Explorer.
The Carney quickly responded to the Unity Explorers distress call and successfully intercepted and shot down a Houthi drone that was on course toward both ships. According to a US official, there were additional reports of Houthi missile attacks on commercial vessels, although the specific number and names of the vessels are unknown. The official also confirmed that the Carney successfully prevented at least two drone attacks while providing assistance.
On Sunday, the Yemeni Armed Forces, controlled by the Houthi group, announced that they had launched attacks on what they referred to as "two Israeli ships" in the Bab al-Mandab strait in the Red Sea.
The statement from the Yemeni Armed Forces stated that the ships Unity Explorer and Number Nine were targeted with a naval missile and drone, respectively, after ignoring warning messages.
The targeting operation was conducted after the two ships disregarded warning messages from the Yemeni naval forces, the statement explained. It stated that this action is part of continuous efforts to prevent Israeli ships from sailing in the Red and Arab seas "until the Israeli aggression against our unwavering brothers in the Gaza Strip ceases."
"The Yemeni Armed Forces reiterate their warning to all Israeli ships or those connected to Israelis that they will be considered a legitimate target if they violate the content of this statement and previous statements issued by the Yemeni Armed Forces."
Following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen have intensified their launches of cruise missiles and attack drones targeting Israel and US assets in the region. This has raised concerns about the potential expansion of the Israel-Hamas conflict across the region.
In the previous month, the USS Thomas Hudner successfully intercepted multiple one-way attack drones launched from Yemen. Additionally, about a week ago, two ballistic missiles were launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards the USS Mason in the Gulf of Aden. This occurred after the USS Mason responded to a distress call from a commercial tanker that had been attacked by five armed individuals suspected to be Somali.
On October 31, Israel announced that it had successfully stopped an aerial attack from the Houthis. A spokesperson for the Houthi forces stated that they would continue to target Israel until they cease their aggressive actions. These attacks occurred shortly after aircraft from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group intercepted an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle in the Persian Gulf, which was operating in a dangerous manner.
Despite the continued attacks, including regular strikes on US and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, US officials have stated that they do not believe the Israel-Hamas conflict has extended into the region.
Last week, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder commented, "We largely view the conflict as contained between Israel and Hamas. That being said, we have seen attempts by Iranian proxies to exploit the situation for their own agenda."
