A U.S. guided-missile destroyer and fighters from aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) interdicted a dozen suicide drones and anti-ship missiles on Tuesday, according to U.S. Central Command.
Houthi forces fired the 12 attack drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles and two land-attack cruise missiles from Yemen, according to the statement from CENTCOM.
The missiles and drones, “were fired by the Houthis over a 10 hour period which began at approximately 6:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) on December 26. There was no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries,” reads the statement.
The attacks were interdicted by destroyer USS Laboon (DDG-58) and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets that had sortied from the carrier. Since last week, Eisenhower and its escorts have been operating from the Gulf of Aden.
On the other side of the Bab el Manbed, Laboon has been operating as part of the ongoing Operation Prosperity Guardian collation that was stood up to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea.
Since Oct. 17, the Iranian-backed Houthi forces have targeted ships they say have a connection to Israel in a show of solidarity with Hamas in Gaza.
Also on Tuesday, Houthi forces claimed responsibility for a failed attack on container ship MV MSC United VIII, reported Reuters.
On Dec. 23, Houthi forces struck Gabon-owned and Indian-flagged crude tanker MV Saibaba an attack drone launched from Yemen and launched an attack drone at Norwegian-flagged MV Blaamanen, USNI News reported last week.
U.S. assets, to include the USS LABOON (DDG 58) and F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, shot down twelve one-way attack drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two land attack cruise missiles in the Southern Red Sea that were fired by the… pic.twitter.com/vRQ5e6Au6d
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 26, 2023
