A Department of Defense press report announced a US Navy warship, along with commercial maritime vessels transiting the Red Sea, came under attack from Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Following numerous near misses with drones and missiles, on Sunday, December 3, the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, as well as merchant ships, were engaged in direct air attacks with drones and missiles from Houthi terrorists.
Houthi Rebels Attack US Navy Warship and Merchant Cargo Vessels
As Liberty Nation previously reported: "(T)he brazen Houthi rebels in Yemen, after drone and rocket attacks on Israel, declared, 'All ships belonging to the Israeli enemy or that deal with it will become legitimate targets.'" So it comes as no surprise that Iran-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen would strike a US Navy warship in the Red Sea. The terrorist organization has declared it will attack and destroy Israel-linked vessels, both military and commercial. Breaking the news, Associated Press explained: "The attack potentially marked a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war." A Pentagon spokesperson told AP, "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."
Yahra Sare'e, a military representative of the Houthi, claimed "his group managed to 'inflict painful blows on Israel using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles' with the goal of preventing ships owned by Israel and friendly countries from passing through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab straits." In the same account, early reporting was that one of the merchant vessels was severely damaged in the attack. That vessel is reportedly British owned and has nothing to do with Israel.
The USS Carney is the same US Navy warship that, on October 19, "shot down 15 drones launched from Yemen while on station in the Red Sea," as Liberty Nation explained at the time. With this attack, "The Carney responded after hearing from the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier Unity Explorer that it was under attack by missile fire, the official said. The Carney shot down two drones during the attack, one in self-defense and another after checking on the Unity Explorer, the official said," Jon Gambrell, explained, writing for the AP. The December 3 attack should be a wake-up call for the Biden administration that the current tit-for-tat response to attacks by Iran’s proxies on American military forces has not gotten the attention of said organizations.
Former CIA Director Has Good Advice for Biden
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday, the day before the Houthi attack, former CIA chief Leon Panetta had some advice for the Biden administration: "I would be much more aggressive. I want to go after those who are firing missiles at our troops and make sure they understand that when they fire a missile – they are going to die."
If Iran has chosen to attack US warships in international waters through surrogates, that represents an act of war. It seems clear Iran is going to take every opportunity possible to attack the US. The question isn’t if another attack will occur, but when – and what consequences they will suffer for it.
The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliation.
