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By Marni Rose McFall
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Yemen's Houthi rebels claim to have launched a missile attack on the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea.
A duty officer from the Defense Press Operations of the Pentagon told Newsweek: "there is no truth to those rumors."
The Context
The conflict between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition, supported by the U.S. and the U.K., has been ongoing since 2015. The conflict has escalated in response to the Israel-Hamas war.
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Recent strikes by the U.S. and U.K. targeted Houthis positions in the Yemeni provinces of Sanaa, Hodeidah, and Taiz. In response, the Houthis launched what they described as a retaliatory missile attack on the Eisenhower.
What We Know
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated in a televised announcement that the missile attack was a direct response to the coalition's recent operations in Yemen. The Eisenhower has been involved in operations in the Red Sea since January.
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Saree stated in a televised announcement that the missile attack on the Eisenhower was a direct response to the coalition's recent airstrikes in Yemen. Saree claimed the attack involved both winged and ballistic missiles and described the hits as "accurate and direct".
The U.S. and U.K. have been conducting strikes against Houthi targets in retaliation for attacks on international shipping. The British Ministry of Defence confirmed that recent operations targeted locations in Hodeidah housing drones and surface-to-air weapons.
On May 30, the U.K. took part in a joint operation with U.S. forces to target Houthi military facilities in Yemen. This operation took place in order to hinder the Houthi rebels' capacity to attack international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Houthi sites in Yemen were bombed by RAF jets according to British military chiefs.
The Houthis have attacked over 50 vessels, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration, killed three sailors, and sunk one ship since November. These attacks are claimed to be in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and a response to U.S.-led airstrikes.
What's Next
The U.S. military has stated that it will continue its operations in the Red Sea to safeguard maritime routes and counter Houthi threats.
The Houthis' actions are supported by Iran, which provides the rebels with weapons, technology, and intelligence. This complicates the conflict, as the U.S. and its allies face the challenge of countering Houthi attacks while avoiding a broader conflict with Iran.
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