The Pentagon reported successfully intercepting a drone that was on a trajectory toward a Navy destroyer. The Department of Defense says the attack originated in Yemen, and the naval ship was operating near the Red Sea. After Tel Aviv began bombing Gaza last month, the Houthis started targeting Israel with missiles and drones.
According to the Pentagon, US forces shot down a drone targeting the USS Thomas Hudner, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer, on Wednesday. The Department of Defense reported that no sailors were injured, and the ship was undamaged.
The attack is the latest in a series of strikes targeting Israel and a US drone in response to the Israeli military operations in Gaza. On October 19, the Pentagon claimed it successfully intercepted several drones and cruise missiles fired by the Houthis at Israel.
The Houthis rose to power in Yemen in 2015 and have resisted a US-Saudi war aimed at dislodging their hold on power in Sanaa. Currently, the Houthis control the territory where most Yemeni people live, including the country’s northern Red Sea coast.
At the end of October, the Houthis launched several missiles at Israel that Tel Aviv says were intercepted using the Arrow air defense system. At the time, a Houthi official said the attacks would continue until Israel ends its war on Gaza.
Last week, the Houthis downed a Reaper drone off the coast of Yemen.
Along with Saana, Shia militias in Iraq and Syria have targeted American forces in the Middle East over Washington’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza. American soldiers occupying Iraq and Syria have come under attack dozens of times, causing scores of injuries to US troops.
In response, the US has conducted a series of strikes on militia groups in Iraq and Syria. American bombs have often provoked additional attacks against US forces. The latest US strikes were conducted on Sunday, and within 24 hours, American troops were attacked at least four times. US forces were attacked three additional times on Wednesday, bringing the total over the past month to 57.
Voice of America, US state media, reported that the strikes were failing to deter attacks on American soldiers. However, on Tuesday, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh attempted to portray the operations as successful. “We’ve been pretty clear in our message when it comes to deterrence. And we haven’t seen this conflict widen out,” she said.
Singh has also downplayed the injuries to US forces in Iraq and Syria. Last week, she said, “Thankfully, none of our troops have been injured seriously, and our infrastructure at the bases that have been targeted, we have not experienced significant damage.” At the time, over 50 soldiers had been injured in the attacks, with 25 suffering from traumatic brain injuries.
