US Navy repels second Houthi attack on merchant convoy
The attack is the second in a fortnight aimed at US-flagged vessels transiting the Red Sea
Two US destroyers engaged and destroyed multiple drones and an anti-ship cruise missile aimed at three US-flagged vessels
THREE US-flagged vessels were once again targeted by a Houthi missile attack as they transited the Gulf of Aden on December 10.
The US-operated and flagged vessels were escorted by two US Navy destroyers, USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane.
The two destroyers “engaged and defeated” multiple attack drones and an anti-ship cruise missile headed for the convoy, US Central Command said.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare’e said the Iran-backed rebel group targeted three “American supply ships after they left the port of Djibouti and had previously practiced their aggression against Yemen”.
While Centcom has not specified the name of the vessels, Sare’e said yesterday’s attack was the second time those three vessels and the destroyers were targeted in 10 days.
The 49,737 dwt Stena Group-owned product tanker Stena Impeccable (IMO: 9693020), the 2,096 teu, Maersk-owned boxship Maersk Saratoga (IMO: 9289207) and the 50,601 dwt bulk carrier Liberty Grace (IMO: 9228148) were the target of an attack on December 1.
All three vessels’ most recent Automatic Identification System position was in Djibouti, on December 2.
Centcom called the two attacks “reckless”, but confirmed no injuries or damage to any vessels was sustained.