US Navy downs three ballistic missiles shot by Iran-backed Houthis in Red Sea

On Tuesday, the US Navy in the Red Sea fired missiles against incoming anti-ship ballistic missiles provided to Yemen's Houthis by Iran. This marks the first time the Navy has shot down an incoming anti-ship ballistic missile.

According to US Central Command, the USS Laboon and F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group shot down 12 kamikaze drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two land attack missiles fired by the Houthis over 10 hours, which began at approximately 6:30 am (Sanaa time).

Fox News reported that 100 drones operated by the Houthis have been shot down since Oct. 17 and that the terrorist group has attacked over 21 international vessels in the area, and now shipping companies are avoiding the Red Sea and re-routing ships around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope, which adds costs and delays. 

The outlet added that the Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Co’s container ship MSC United VIII was attacked around 12:25 UTC while en route from King Abdullah Port, Saudi Arabia to Karachi, Pakistan. 

Attacks in the Red Sea have jumped following the Hamas massacre of over 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7. 

According to the Jerusalem Post, India's Navy announced on Tuesday that it had deployed three guided missile destroyers and a P-8I reconnaissance aircraft to maintain a deterrent presence in the area.

Tuesday’s attack followed three US service members being injured on Monday in an attack on Erbil Air Base in Iraq by Iranian-proxy terrorists with Kataib Hezbollah. 

The US retaliated with airstrikes on three facilities used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups in Iraq.