US military says it fended off another Houthi missile attack

Iran-backed Houthi militants launched new attacks Wednesday on merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden, just hours after the United States carried out preemptive strikes to stave off what it said was an imminent attack on shipping lanes in the Red Sea, Report informs via VOA.

US Central Command, which overseas US forces in the Middle East, said late Wednesday that a US guided missile destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles aimed at the M/V Maersk Detroit, a US-owned and operated container ship transiting the Gulf of Aden.

A third missile fell into the sea.

US officials said that while the latest attack did not cause any injuries or damage to the container ship, it shows the Houthis are not ready to back down.

“If they don't stop, we will continue to take necessary action,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told VOA in an interview Wednesday. “But our goal here is not to see escalation. It's actually the opposite. It's to deescalate the situation and ensure that international shipping and mariners can transit this waterway safely.”

Hours before the latest attack Wednesday, the US launched preemptive strikes in Houthi-controlled Yemen, destroying two anti-ship missiles allegedly set to target international shipping in the Red Sea.

The missiles "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region," according to a US Central Command statement.

The Red Sea route carries about 15% of the world’s maritime traffic. Major shipping companies have responded to the attacks by rerouting vessels on the longer and more expensive route around Africa.

Since mid-November, the Houthis have launched at least 34 attacks on international shipping lanes, justifying them by saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza under attack from Israel.

But US officials say many of the Houthi attacks have targeted ships that are not associated with Israel.