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Missiles fired from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen struck three commercial ships in the Red Sea Sunday, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney responded to distress calls from two of those vessels and downed three drones approaching it.

The incidents began about 9:15 a.m. local time when the Carney detected an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) launched toward the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier M/V Unity Explorer, according to CENTCOM. It landed near the bulk carrier, said CENTCOM. We do not know what kind of ASBM was used but you can read about what types Houthis have via Iran here.

At about 12 p.m., the Carney engaged and shot down a drone launched from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen, according to CENTCOM. It was headed toward the Carney, "although its specific target is not clear," said CENTCOM. "We cannot assess at this time whether the Carney was a target." There was no damage to the U.S. vessel or injuries to personnel.

A little more than a half-hour later, the Unity Explorer reported being struck by a missile fired from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. The Carney responded to the distress call. While assisting with the damage assessment, Carney detected another inbound drone, destroying it with no damage or injuries to the Carney or Unity Explorer, which reported minor damage from the missile strike.

There were two more missile attacks on commercial vessels Sunday, according to CENTCOM.

At about 3:30 p.m. the M/V Number 9 was struck by a missile fired from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen while operating international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, according to CENTCOM. The Panamanian flagged, Bermuda and U.K. owned and operated, bulk carrier reported damage and no casualties.

About an hour later, the Panamanian flagged bulk carrier M/V Sophie II sent a distress call stating it was struck by a missile. Carney again responded to the distress call and reported no significant damage. While en route to render support, Carney shot down another drone headed in its direction. “This represents an escalation,” a U.S. defense official told The War Zone, about these attacks, the latest in a series of such incidents in the Red Sea that have taken place in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

The Houthis on Sunday took credit for attacking two of the commercial vessels but did not acknowledge attacking the Carney or the Sophie II. The Houthis claimed they were attacking Israeli vessels. The Unity Explorer is owned by a British firm that includes Dan David Ungar, who lives in Israel, as one of its officers, The Associated Press reported. The Number 9 is a Panamanian-flagged container ship linked to Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, according to AP.

“This morning, the naval forces carried out a targeting operation against two Israeli ships in Bab al-Mandab, namely the ‘Unity Explorer’ ship and the “NUMBER 9” ship,” Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said on Twitter. “The first Israeli ship was targeted by an anti-ship missile, while the second ship was targeted by a sea drone.”

The two ships “were targeted after rejecting warnings from the Yemeni naval forces, Saree said. “The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating in the Red and Arab Seas until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops.”

"One ship was significantly damaged and it is in distress and apparently is in danger of sinking and another ship was lightly damaged," Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv, adding that neither ship had a connection to Israel.

This is the latest in a string of attacks in the Red Sea by the Houthis.

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Originally posted by YooperSigs:
"Houthi controlled areas". Sounds like a fine spot for a Rolling Thunder strike by B52s. Where is Curtis Lemay now that we need him?

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Originally posted by wrightd:
It's all about parking lots I'm telling ya. Very large, smooth, nice and flat, parking lots. Blacktop, concrete, doesn't really matter, though crush run is a budget option.

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Originally posted by sadlerbw:
So, who do we bill for rescuing all these ships? Missiles aren’t cheap!

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Joking aside, how the hell was a US destroyer the only ship that responded to a distress call? This is one of the most heavily trafficked sea lanes in the world, so it isn’t like we were the only ones around. I read that a Japanese ship responded to the first attack, but it doesn’t sound like anyone else responded to the distress calls from these ships. I thought mariners had some sort of duty to render aid? I guess I don’t understand how that really works.

- Bret

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A French frigate that shot down two drones in the Red Sea was acting in self-defence after coming under attack from the unmanned aerial vehicles, the foreign ministry in Paris said on Monday.

The French general staff reported on Sunday that the Languedoc frigate, operating in the Red Sea, had opened fire on two drones heading straight towards it from the Yemen coast, destroying both.

The incident came after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened on Saturday to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports unless food and medicine were allowed into the besieged Gaza Strip.

The foreign ministry said the drones were engaged in an "attack" on its vessel and had been downed in "legitimate defence".

The incident occurred amid "attacks and acts of piracy committed by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea", which represented a "worrying increase of assaults on the freedom of navigation in that zone", it added.

The ministry urged the Houthis to "immediately stop attacks on civilians" and the freedom of movement.

France was closely following developments in the Red Sea and called "on all actors to avoid any regional flare-up".

The general staff said on Sunday the drone interceptions happened at 2030 GMT and 2230 GMT on Saturday, 110 kilometres (68 miles) from the Yemeni coast and the port of Hudaydah, which is under rebel control.

The drones "were flying directly towards the vessel", the general staff said.

The frigate used surface-to-air missiles of the Aster 15 type, designed for defence against short- to medium-range threats, a military source told AFP, asking not to be named.

Red Sea tensions

The French navy had not used surface-to-air missiles in self-defence before.

The incident came amid heightened tensions in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, following a series of maritime attacks by Houthi rebels since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.

In a statement posted on social media, the Houthis said they "will prevent the passage of ships heading to the Zionist entity" if humanitarian aid is not allowed into Hamas-ruled Gaza.

The Houthis have recently attacked ships they allege have direct links to Israel but the latest threat widens the scope of their targets.

The ministry urged the Houthis to "immediately stop attacks on civilians" and the freedom of movement.

France was closely following developments in the Red Sea and called "on all actors to avoid any regional flare-up".

The general staff said on Sunday the drone interceptions happened at 2030 GMT and 2230 GMT on Saturday, 110 kilometres (68 miles) from the Yemeni coast and the port of Hudaydah, which is under rebel control.

The drones "were flying directly towards the vessel", the general staff said.

The frigate used surface-to-air missiles of the Aster 15 type, designed for defence against short- to medium-range threats, a military source told AFP, asking not to be named.

Red Sea tensions

The French navy had not used surface-to-air missiles in self-defence before.

The incident came amid heightened tensions in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, following a series of maritime attacks by Houthi rebels since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.

In a statement posted on social media, the Houthis said they "will prevent the passage of ships heading to the Zionist entity" if humanitarian aid is not allowed into Hamas-ruled Gaza.

The Houthis have recently attacked ships they allege have direct links to Israel but the latest threat widens the scope of their targets.

It condemned what it said was "a direct threat" to maritime security.

Saturday's incident was the first time that a French military vessel has been targeted by Houthis since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7.

Israel has responded to the Hamas attack with a relentless military offensive that the Hamas authorities in the besieged Palestinian territory say has killed thousands.

Yemen has a long coastline along the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea, a strategic waterway to Israel in the north.