US warship attacked in Red Sea escalation
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The news: Several commercial vessels and a US warship came under attack in the Red Sea on Sunday, according to the US Department of Defense. A US warship opened fire after a drone and missile assault which has been claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) earlier said it received reports on Sunday that a drone attack had taken place in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea.
The context: The UKTMO said that an attack by Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) had taken place in the vicinity of Bab-el-Mandeb, originating from the direction of Yemen. The agency also said it had been made aware of an entity declaring itself to be Yemeni authorities ordering a vessel to alter its course. UKTMO advised vessels in the area to exercise caution.
The explosion follows a series of attacks in the region since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict on 7 October. In late November Houthi rebels in control of Yemen’s Red Sea Coast seized a cargo ship linked to Israel. The Houthi group is an ally of Iran. Last week a US warship responded to distress calls from an Israeli-linked tanker in the Gulf of Aden which said it had been seized by armed assailants.
The UK sent a second warship to the Middle East last week, following increased concerns around maritime security across the region’s strategic chokepoints (through which approximately one fifth of the world’s total oil consumption passes through on a daily basis).
What they said: "We're aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available," said the Pentagon.
The sources: United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, Royal Navy
