U.S. says Iran responsible for Sunday’s attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea

The U.S. says it will “consider all appropriate responses” following Sunday’s missile and drone attacks on three civilian cargo vessels and the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer responding to distress calls from the merchant ships off the coast of Yemen.

U.S. Central Command said the attacks were launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen but were “fully enabled” by Iran.

The strikes represent the most serious escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terror group Hamas. Houthi officials have claimed they will target any merchant ship in the region suspected of a connection to Israel.

“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security,” officials with U.S. Central Command said. “They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world.”

At 9:15 a.m. Sunday, the Carney was on patrol in the Red Sea when it detected an anti-ship ballistic missile attack toward the M/V Unity Explorer, a bulk cargo ship owned and operated by a British company and registered in the Bahamas. The missile struck the water near the Unity Explorer, U.S. Central Command said.

At noon, the Carney shot down a drone launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen.

“The drone was headed toward Carney, although its specific target is not clear. We cannot assess at this time whether the Carney was a target,” Central Command said in a statement. “There was no damage to the U.S. vessel or injuries to personnel.”

The Unity Explorer sent a distress call at about 12:35 p.m., saying they had been struck by a missile. The Carney responded and was assisting with the damage assessment when it detected and shot down another inbound drone. The merchant ship reported minor damage from the missile strike, U.S. officials said.

Over the next four hours, missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen were launched against civilian cargo vessels the M/V Number 9 and the M/V Sophie II. The ships were operating in international shipping lanes in the Red Sea. The Carney shot down another drone while it was responding to the scene.

There were no reported casualties and U.S. officials said the merchant vessels sustained minimal damage from the missile attacks.