US military forces shot down over a dozen attack drones and several missiles fired by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, said the Pentagon on Tuesday, according to an AFP report. The US Central Command said there were no reported injuries during the incident.
In a post on X, the US Central Command said: "U.S. assets, to include the USS LABOON (DDG 58) and F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, shot down twelve one-way attack drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two land attack cruise missiles in the Southern Red Sea that were fired by the Houthis over a 10 hour period which began at approximately 6:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) on December 26. There was no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries."
Earlier, the Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a missile strike on a vessel in the Red Sea and a drone attack towards Israel in solidarity with Gaza, the AFP report added.
Issuing a statement, the rebels said they "carried out a targeting operation against a commercial ship" which they identified as MSC UNITED. The rebels also said that they launched a number of "drones against military targets" in southern Israel."
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Since the October 7 war between Israel and Hamas, the Houthi rebels of Yemen have voiced their support to the Palestinian militant group and said they would attack any ship travelling to Israel.
Many major shipping firms including Mediterranean Shipping Company, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and the oil company British Petroleum decided to divert their ships from the Red Sea after the Houthis attack.
Retaliating to the attacks, the US launched an international naval operation to protect the ships.
On Tuesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said "explosions (were) heard, missiles were sighted" near the port of Hodeida on Yemen's west coast, adding that a transiting vessel and its crew were safe.