US shoots down missile fired at navy destroyer in Red Sea from Houthi areas of Yemen

A US fighter jet shot down a missile that was fired from Yemen towards a US destroyer in the Red Sea on Sunday, US Central Command has said.

In a post on X, the US military said Sunday’s incident was “an anti-ship cruise missile” that “was fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen” at around 4.45pm local time (1.45pm GMT) towards the USS Laboon.

It was shot down near the coast of Hudayah and there were no injuries or damage reported, the post added.

Another report – of a missile striking a ship from above near Yemen on Monday – has come to light since.

It’s not yet known who was behind the missile fired on Monday.

The Houthis, a Shiite group allied with Iran, did not immediately acknowledge the attack – which is the first apparent targeting by the militants since the US and UK-led airstrikes on them last week.

The joint operation began on Friday following weeks of attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

More than 60 targets in 28 locations in Yemen were hit with cruise missiles and bombs launched by fighter jets, warships and a submarine.

US forces also launched a strike on a Houthi radar site on Saturday.

It is unclear if the US will retaliate for the latest attack, though President Joe Biden has said he “will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary”.

The UK has also refused to rule out further strikes on the Houthis.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News this morning: “If we have to take further action then that’s something we would consider.

“We’ll keep it under review and they [the Houthis] should be aware that if it doesn’t stop, then of course we will then have to take the decisions that need to be taken.”

“Let’s wait and see what happens,” he added.

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Meanwhile, Iran has “strongly condemned” the US and UK’s military action, calling it “a clear violation of [Yemen’s] sovereignty”.

The Houthis have targeted ships in the Red Sea – one of the world’s main trade routes – since November, and said they were attacking Israel-linked ships in an effort to stop the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

However, they frequently attacked vessels with tenuous or no clear links to the country. Multiple shipping companies have ordered their boats to avoid the area until the security situation improves.

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