US destroyer successfully intercepts Houthi drone attack in Red Sea

US officials said early Wednesday (Mar 6) that a US destroyer effectively defended itself against an assault launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, reported a news agency.

The targeted vessel was identified as the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer actively participating in the American campaign against the Houthi insurgency. According to the US military's Central Command, the Houthi attack involved both bomb-laden drones and an anti-ship ballistic missile.

However, the US destroyer swiftly responded, shooting down the incoming threats. Subsequently, the US military launched an airstrike, destroying three anti-ship missiles and three bomb-laden drone boats.

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A spokesman for the Houthi military Yahya Saree confirmed the attack. However, he claimed that the Houthi forces targeted two American warships. Although specifics were not provided about the incident. The spokesperson for the Iran-backed militia Saree said that the group “will not stop until the aggression is stopped and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted."

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In another related development, the Indian Navy swiftly reactedto a maritime emergency in the Gulf of Aden. A Liberian-flagged vessel, MV MSC Sky II, approximately 90 nautical miles southeast of Aden, came under attack from drones or missiles, resulting in a fire on the evening of March 4.

Responding promptly to the distress call, INS Kolkata, deployed in the region for maritime security operations, reached the scene by 22:30 hours. Later, a specialised firefighting team comprising 12 personnel from INS Kolkata boarded the vessel in the early hours of March 5 to aid in extinguishing the flames.

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The missile strike caused a minor fire on the vessel, but fortunately, no crew members were harmed.Additionally, a specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team also boarded the vessel to assist in assessing residual risks.

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The MSC Sky II was en route from Singapore to Djibouti when the attack occurred. The incident comes as the ongoing tensions in the region and the persistent threat posed by Houthi rebels continue to remain a threat to maritime security in the Red Sea and surrounding waters.

(With inputs from agencies)