“We cannot say for certain what these missiles and drones were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen, heading north along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel.”
During a Thursday press briefing, the Department of Defense announced that the US military shot down three land attack cruise missiles and several drones that were launched by Houthi forces in Yemen on Thursday. The missiles and drones were thwarted by the crew of the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney operating in the northern Red Sea.
"This action was a demonstration of the integrated air and missile defense architecture that we have built in the Middle East and that we are prepared to utilize whenever necessary to protect our partners and our interests in this important region," the Pentagon spokesman said.
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View on X"We cannot say for certain what these missiles and drones were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen, heading north along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel. Our defensive response was one that we would have taken for any similar threat in the region, where we're able to do so against our interest personnel and our partners," he said, explaining that there could be sustained attacks in the region.
In addition, the Department of Defense announced that they are "enhancing our fighter aircraft presence in the central command region to provide additional capabilities."
"By posturing these US naval assets and advanced fighter aircraft in the region, we aim to send a strong message intended to deter a wider conflict to bolster regional stability, and of course, to make it clear that we will protect and defend our national security interests."
According to CBS News, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have expressed support for Hamas’ attacks against Israel, and protestors in Yemen took to the streets waving Palestinian flags last week.
The slogan of the rebel group states, "God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse of the Jews; victory to Islam," according to the outlet.
The group’s leader, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, warned last week against the United States intervening in the conflict, threatening retaliation with drones and missiles.
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