Goli Innocent 
The United States (US) has said it will “consider all appropriate responses” following Sunday’s missile and drone attacks on three civilian cargo vessels and the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer responding to distress calls from the merchant ships off the coast of Yemen.
U.S. Central Command said the attacks were launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen but were “fully enabled” by Iran.
The strikes represent the most serious escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terror group Hamas. Houthi officials have claimed they will target any merchant ship in the region suspected of a connection to Israel.
“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security,” officials with U.S. Central Command said. “They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world.”
READ ALSO:
- Iran Tries To Seize Two Oil Tankers, Fires Shots At One – US Navy
- Iran Red Crescent To Send Humanitarian Aid To Ukraine
- Iran says President invited to visit S’Arabia
At 9:15 a.m. Sunday, the Carney was on patrol in the Red Sea when it detected an anti-ship ballistic missile attack toward the M/V Unity Explorer, a bulk cargo ship owned and operated by a British company and registered in the Bahamas. The missile struck the water near the Unity Explorer, U.S. Central Command said.
At noon, the Carney shot down a drone launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen.
“The drone was headed toward Carney, although its specific target is not clear. We cannot assess at this time whether the Carney was a target,” Central Command said in a statement. “There was no damage to the U.S. vessel or injuries to personnel.”
