Three “cruise robots and several drones,” fired by Huthirebeller, have been shot down over water, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said.
— We cannot say with certainty what these robots and drones were aimed at, but they were launched from Yemen and traveled north along the Red Sea, potentially towards targets in Israel, Ryder says, but emphasizes that the matter is still being investigated.
According to Ryder, the robots were shot down because they “posed a potential threat,” referring to the robots’ course. He adds that the United States is prepared to do whatever is necessary “to protect our partners and our interests in this important region”.
No one was injured, according to the Pentagon.
The destroyer USS Carney was patrolling the Red Sea as part of a greatly increased US military presence ordered by US President Joe Biden to maintain stability in the area following the war between Israel and terror-labeled Palestinian Hamas.
Iran-backed Huthi rebels have expressed support for the Palestinians and threatened Israel. Last week, Abdel Malek al-Houthi, the rebel group’s leader, warned the United States against intervening in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, threatening that his forces would retaliate by firing drones and robots.