U.S. Shoots Down Another Yemen-Launched Missile

The Pentagon announced this week that a U.S. Navy warship shot down a missile fired from Yemen in the most recent escalation of the ongoing conflict there. Houthi rebels fighting the nation’s government have launched a number of missile and drone attacks against civilian and military ships since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas last October.

U.S. Central Command announced that the rebels fired a cruise missile near a U.S. Navy vessel. The Navy destroyer shot down the latest projectile.

This followed a series of similar engagements, including the prevention of hijackers attempting to board a civilian vessel.

U.S. Naval vessels are currently striking sites in Yemen used by the Houthi rebels during the nation’s long civil war. The group has declared that it would target any ships it believes are traveling to or from Israel.

30JAN2024 Updated Infographic of Houthi Missiles, Drones, USV's, Manned boat launches, interceptions.

Number of Civilian Ships attacked by Houthis and Pirates
48

Total number of Incidents
51~

Total Interceptions/Strikes by US and Coalition Forces.
4x ASCM (+1)
6x LACM… pic.twitter.com/5aIilH4W36

— Intelschizo (@Schizointel) January 31, 2024

The news also came just days after a Houthi missile struck an oil tanker near the Red Sea. The blast set the ship on fire and required significant assistance from both the French and Indian Navies.

The United States and Great Britain have launched several weeks of airstrikes to try and degrade the Houthis’ ability to launch the missiles at vessels headed to or from the Suez Canal.

The fighting has convinced many major shipping companies to stop sending their vessels anywhere near Yemen, resulting in far longer and more expensive journeys.

The Houthis were delisted by the Biden administration as a terrorist organization, reversing the standing Trump administration policy.

The rebel group has launched additional attacks against American and French warships in recent months, although none of the projectiles have made contact. Some have fallen into the sea and some were shot down.

Furthermore, the group is supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran, which also supports Hamas. A militia group tied to Iran fired a drone at an American base in Jordan, killing three U.S. servicemembers and injuring almost four dozen more.

The Biden administration is currently considering possible retaliation for the drone strike.