• US destroyers intercepted two anti-ship missiles in the Red Sea.
• The incident marks the 23rd illegal attack by the Houthis.
• Houthis claim attacks in support of the Palestinian cause in Gaza.

In response to a request for assistance from a cargo ship that had been struck in a separate attack, an American destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles launched from Yemen on Saturday, according to the US military.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on social media that the missiles were fired from ground held by the Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran. They described the launch as the “23rd illegal attack by the Houthis on international shipping” since November 19.

The Houthis have frequently attacked ships in the crucial Red Sea shipping channel, claiming their attacks are in aid of the Palestinian people in Gaza, where Israel is engaged in combat with the extremist organization Hamas.

According to CENTCOM, the USS Gravely and USS Laboon, both destroyers, answered a call for help from the Maersk Hangzhou, a container ship flying the flag of Singapore that is owned and operated by Denmark. The ship claimed to have been hit by a missile as it was passing through the Red Sea.

USS GRAVELY shoots down two anti-ship ballistic missiles while responding to Houthi attack on merchant vessel.

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Today at approximately 8:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), the container ship MAERSK HANGZHOU reported that they were struck by a missile while transiting the Southern Red Sea. The… pic.twitter.com/nUgifhkdC8

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 31, 2023

The missiles were fired “toward the ships,” and the Gravely shot them down in response.

Up to 12 percent of the world’s trade passes through a transit route that is threatened by the attacks of Yemeni rebels, who claim to be targeting Israel and Israeli-affiliated ships. As a result, earlier this month, the US established a multinational naval task force to safeguard Red Sea shipping.

According to an AFP calculation based on Israeli estimates, the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise cross-border raid from Gaza on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of roughly 1,140 individuals, the majority of whom were civilians. This marked the beginning of the most recent round of the Israel-Hamas confrontation.

The health ministry of the Hamas-run region reports that at least 21,672 people have died in Gaza as a result of Israel’s relentless onslaught, which began immediately after the attack and was primarily carried out by civilians. The United States responded by sending Israel armed help.

These fatalities have provoked deep-seated resentment throughout the Middle East and served as a catalyst for attacks by anti-Israel armed groups in the region.

Additionally, Washington claims that armed groups with Iranian support are behind the drone and rocket attacks that have regularly targeted US forces in Syria and Iraq.

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