According to the US military, on Wednesday, three Iranian drones and an anti-ship missile fired by the Huthis in Yemen were shot down by an American naval vessel.
In addition, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) had earlier said that it would attack a Huthi surface-to-air missile that it claimed presented a “imminent threat” to US aircraft. This was in contrast to earlier airstrikes that were intended to lessen the rebels’ capacity to endanger international shipping.
Although both the US and Iran have attempted to avert a direct confrontation, the US has launched strikes against the Huthis and other groups in the region that receive backing from Tehran. The downing of three Iranian drones may increase tensions between the two nations.
“Iranian-backed Huthi militants fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden. The missile was successfully shot down by the USS Carney,” CENTCOM said in a statement, adding that less than an hour later the same ship “engaged and shot down three Iranian UAVs in its vicinity.”
It did make clear if the drones were for surveillance only or were armed.A Huthi surface-to-air missile that was ready to fire was “struck and destroyed” by US forces earlier on Wednesday, according to CENTCOM, after it was determined that it “presented an imminent threat to US aircraft.”
It merely stated that the strike occurred in “Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” without specifying which aircraft were targeted or where exactly.
