Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles that hit three commercial ships in the Red Sea on Sunday, December 3rd, according to the U.S. military. In response to this assault, a U.S. warship engaged and shot down three drones in self-defense. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for two of the attacks. This incident represents an escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Middle East linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict. This inciden also marked the first time in the conflict that multiple vessels were targeted in a single Houthi assault. Other assaults were less ambitious.
The U.S. has pledged to consider all appropriate responses, specifically calling out Iran. Tensions have been heightened for years due to concerns over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. The U.S. Central Command stated that these attacks pose a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security, jeopardizing the lives of crews from various countries worldwide. The statement also asserted that there is reason to believe these attacks, while initiated by the Houthis, are fully enabled by Iran and are an attempt at aiding Hamas by diverting US attention elsewhere.
