Red Sea: American destroyer shoots down several missiles “potentially” sent to Israel

Fear of the conflict widening is growing. A US destroyer “operating in the northern Red Sea” on Thursday shot down three surface-to-surface missiles and several drones “potentially heading towards targets in Israel,” the Pentagon said. According to Washington, they were launched by Yemeni Houthi rebels with the support of Iran.

There were no injuries among USS Carney sailors or civilians on the ground “to our knowledge,” the US Department of Defense said during a news conference.

The Iran-backed Houthis took control of Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014, sparking a war against government forces that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions from their homes, plunging the country into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The interception of the drones and missiles comes amid growing concerns in Washington about Tehran’s direct involvement in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Hamas, which has already led to the deaths of several thousand people.

Tensions in Iraq

The Lebanese Hezbollah, armed by Tehran, has been provoking the Israeli army defending the border between the Jewish state and the land of cedar for several days.

And Iraqi armed groups close to Iran have in recent days threatened to attack American interests in Iraq over Washington’s support for Israel.

Drone attacks against U.S. forces and the international coalition were even “thwarted” in Iraq on Wednesday and vehicles were “shot down,” causing minor injuries, U.S. military officials said.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Saturday that the United States would send a second aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean to “deter hostile actions against Israel or any attempts to expand this war.”