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US Warship, Vessels Under Attack In Red Sea

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy Nees

DUBAI/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Maritime attacks rapidly escalated Sunday with a U.S. warship opening fire in self-defense while commercial vessels faced drones and missiles in the Red Sea amid an hours-long assault by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, officials said.

The violence marked rapidly worsening tensions at the crucial Mideast shipping route as multiple vessels found themselves in the crosshairs of a single Houthi assault for the first time in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the U.S. Defense Department said.

The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer that’s already shot down multiple rockets the Iran-backed Houthis have fired toward Israel so far in the war.

It wasn’t damaged in the attack, and no injuries were reported on board, U.S. sources said.

The Carney reportedly responded after hearing from the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier Unity Explorer that it was under attack by missile fire.

The Carney shot down two drones during the attack, one in self-defense and another after checking on the Unity Explorer, U.S. officials said.

‘OPPRESSED PALESTINIANS’

Houthi militia say their actions are against Israel and its allies in “support of the oppressed Palestinian people.”

It also added to the multiple fronts Israel faces as it already battles Hamas, which it regards as a terrorist organization. The standoff in the Red Sea came after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris urged Israel to “do more” to protect Palestinian civilians from the “devastating” bombardment in Gaza during her hastily planned trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

She met with leaders of the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan and spoke by phone with Qatar’s emir on the sidelines of the ongoing U.N. climate conference in Dubai.

Harris complained that Israel unleashed massive attacks on the crowded southern area of the Gaza Strip since fighting resumed Friday morning after a weeklong truce.

“As Israel defends itself, it matters how. The United States is unequivocal: International humanitarian law must be respected,” Harris said after her meetings. “Too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. Frankly, the scale of civilian suffering and the images and videos coming from Gaza are devastating.’’

She added that as Israel “pursues its military objectives in Gaza, we believe Israel must do more to protect innocent civilians.” Israel says Hamas is using civilians as human shields while also using civilian sites, including hospitals, to hide weapons and fighters.

The Israeli government has pledged to destroy Hamas after it attacked Israel on October 7, killing at least 1,200 people and taking about 240 people hostage. The Hamas-run health ministry claims that more than 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli retaliatory strikes.