Washington:

An American destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Yemen Saturday because it responded to a name for assist from a container ship that was hit in a separate strike, the US navy mentioned.

The missiles have been launched from territory managed by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) mentioned in a social media submit, describing it because the “twenty third unlawful assault by the Houthis on worldwide transport” since November 19.

The Houthis have repeatedly focused vessels within the very important Crimson Sea transport lane with strikes they are saying are in assist of Palestinians in Gaza, the place Israel is battling Palestinian group Hamas.

CENTCOM mentioned the USS Gravely and USS Laboon — each destroyers — responded to a request for help from the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container ship that reported being struck by a missile whereas transiting the Crimson Sea.

Whereas responding, the Gravely shot down the missiles, which have been fired “towards the ships,” it mentioned.

The assaults by the Yemeni rebels — who’ve mentioned they’re focusing on Israel and Israeli-linked vessels — are endangering a transit route that carries as much as 12 % of world commerce, prompting america to arrange a multinational naval activity power earlier this month to guard Crimson Sea transport.

The newest spherical of the Israel-Hamas battle started when the Palestinian group carried out a shock cross-border assault from Gaza on October 7 that killed about 1,140 individuals, largely civilians, in line with an AFP tally based mostly on Israeli figures.

Following the assault, america rushed navy support to Israel, which has carried out a relentless marketing campaign in Gaza that has killed a minimum of 21,672 individuals, additionally largely civilians, in line with the Hamas-run territory’s well being ministry.

These deaths have sparked widespread anger within the Center East and supplied an impetus for assaults by armed teams throughout the area which can be against Israel.

US forces in Iraq and Syria have additionally repeatedly come beneath fireplace from drone and rocket assaults that Washington says are being carried out by Iran-backed armed teams.

(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)