A U.S. Navy warship shot down three cruise missiles and numerous drones fired from Yemen by an Iranian-backed group on Thursday, the Pentagon reported. The missiles were headed for Israel.
As regional tensions rise during the Israel-Hamas war, Washington is on high alert for activity by forces sponsored by Iran.
According to the Pentagon, no one was hurt when the destroyer USS Carney shot down the missiles on Thursday while patrolling in the northern Red Sea.
Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told reporters, “We cannot say for certain what these missiles and drones were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen heading north along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel.”
According to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the battleship was likely not the intended target.
Two aircraft carriers, their support ships, and around 2,000 Marines have been sent to the Middle East in the past week.
U.S. military assets would be ready to preserve U.S. national security interests, even if the White House claims there are “no plans or intentions” to employ them. U.S. troops, fighter planes, and warships are stationed at a number of bases in the region.
