Eisenhower ship hit as Houthi attacks continue, claim denied

U.S. forces destroyed three Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea in the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday.

Separately, the Houthis launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Gulf of Aden but there were no injuries or significant damage reported by U.S., coalition, or merchant vessels, CENTCOM added.

The U.S. military’s Central Command also dismissed as “categorically false” recent claims about a successful attack by Houthi forces on the Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier.

On the other hand a drone attack caused damage to a merchant vessel 65 nautical miles west of Yemen’s Hodeidah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and British security firm Ambrey said on Sunday.

“All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” UKMTO said in an advisory note. In a separate note, Ambrey identified the vessel as a “Liberia-flagged fully cellular container ship,” without providing its name. It said no injuries were reported.

Yemen’s militant Houthi group has been launching drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes since November, saying that it acts in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel’s war with Hamas militants in Gaza.