The US Central Command on Wednesday said that US forces launched a strike and shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile which was fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden. It further stated that there were no injuries reported.
"On Jan. 31, at approximately 8:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden. The missile was successfully shot down by the USS Carney (DDG 64). At 9:10 p.m., the USS Carney engaged and shot down three Iranian UAVs in its vicinity. There were no injuries or damage reported," US Central Command said in a statement.
Yemen's Houthi group had said that they launched a missile attack on a US commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden, claiming a "direct hit".
According to a statement released by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea, the group targeted the vessel KOI, a container ship that was heading to Israeli ports, "in support of the Palestinians in Gaza and response to the US-British aggression against Yemen," as reported by news agency IANS.
Sarea stated that the missile attack was carried out with "several suitable naval missiles that directly hit the target". He further stated that the attack came hours after the group fired missiles at a US destroyer, the USS Gravely, in the Red Sea, Xinhua news agency reported.
Sarea noted the Houthis would confront "any US-British escalation with escalation" and would not hesitate to launch more attacks in retaliation for any "foolishness" against Yemen, as per IANS.