2023-10-21 09:44:00
(CNN) — A US warship that intercepted drones and missiles near the coast of Yemen on Thursday encountered a larger and more sustained bombardment than previously known, shooting down 4 cruise missiles and 15 drones in a 9-hour period, according to a US official familiar with the situation.
The USS Carney, an Arleigh-Burke-class destroyer that passed through the Suez Canal heading south on Wednesday, intercepted the missiles and drones as they headed north along the Red Sea. Its trajectory left little doubt that the projectiles were headed for Israel, the official said, a clearer assessment than the Pentagon’s initial view.
A sustained barrage of drones and missiles aimed at Israel from far away from the Gaza conflict is one of a series of worrying signs that the war risks escalating beyond the borders of the coastal enclave.
In addition to protests at US embassies across the Middle East, US and coalition forces in Syria and Iraq have come under repeated attacks in recent days.
Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said Thursday that the missiles were fired by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen and launched “potentially toward targets in Israel.” At the briefing, Ryder said three land attack cruise missiles and “several” drones.
Some of the projectiles were traveling at altitudes that made them a potential risk to commercial aviation when they were intercepted, the US official said. The drones and missiles were intercepted with SM-2 surface-to-air missiles launched from the USS Carney.
American interceptions of Houthi launches are extremely rare, making the timing of this incident, as tensions rise in Israel, all the more significant. In October 2016, the USS Mason implemented countermeasures to stop an attempted attack in the Red Sea against the Navy destroyer and other nearby ships. In response, the United States fired sea-launched cruise missiles at Houthi radar facilities in Yemen.
One-way attack drones attacked two different US positions in Iraq on Wednesday, according to US Central Command. One of the attacks caused minor damage. A day later, the At-Tanf garrison in Syria, which houses US and coalition forces, was attacked by two drones, which also caused minor damage.
Early Friday morning in Iraq, two rockets targeted the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center near the airport, which houses U.S. military, diplomatic and civilian personnel, according to another U.S. defense official. One rocket was intercepted by an anti-rocket system, while the second hit an empty storage facility, the official said. No one was injured as a result of the rocket attack.
The United States has not claimed responsibility for any of the recent attacks in Iraq and Syria, although Iranian proxies have carried out similar drone and rocket attacks against US forces in both countries in the past.
The US military has carried out strikes against Iranian-backed militias in response to previous similar attacks on US forces, but the Pentagon has not yet said anything about its intentions.
“While I will not predict any potential response to these attacks, I will say that we will take all necessary measures to defend US and coalition forces against any threat,” Ryder said. “Any response, should it occur, will come at a time and in a manner of our choosing.”
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