US destroyer shoots down anti-ship missiles fired from Yemen

A Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container ship reported being struck by a missile while transiting the Red Sea.

Demonstrators march through the streets of Yemen's Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa, to express solidarity with the people of Gaza on Friday. Picture: AFP

An American destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Yemen on Saturday as it responded to a call for help from a container ship that was hit in a separate strike, the US military said.

The missiles were launched from territory controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the US Central Command said in a ­social media post, describing it as the “23rd illegal attack by the Houthis on international shipping” since November 19.

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted ships in the vital Red Sea shipping lane with strikes they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling militant group Hamas.

CENTCOM said the destroyers USS Gravely and USS Laboon responded to a request for help from the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container ship that reported being struck by a missile while transiting the Red Sea. While responding, the Gravely shot down the missiles, which were fired ­“toward the ships”, it said.

The attacks by the Yemeni rebels, who have said they are targeting Israel and Israeli-linked vessels, are endangering a transit route that carries up to 12 per cent of global trade, prompting the US to set up a multinational naval taskforce in mid-December to protect Red Sea shipping.

Following the October 7 massacre by Hamas, the US rushed military aid to Israel, which has carried out a relentless campaign in Gaza that has killed at least 21,672 people, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. Those deaths have sparked widespread anger in the Middle East and provided an impetus for attacks by armed groups across the region that are opposed to Israel.

US forces in Iraq and Syria have also repeatedly come under fire from drone and rocket attacks that Washington says are being carried out by Iran-backed armed groups.

AFP