The United States announced on Thursday that it had shot down missiles and drones in the Red Sea “potentially heading towards targets in Israel.” The Pentagon attributes these shots to Yemen’s Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, amid growing fears of Tehran’s direct involvement in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Published on: 10/20/2023 – 10:40
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Tensions in the Red Sea. An American destroyer “operating in the northern Red Sea” on Thursday, October 19, shot down three surface-to-surface missiles and several drones “potentially heading towards targets in Israel” and launched by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Pentagon announced.
No injuries were reported among the sailors of the USS Carney or among civilians on the ground “to our knowledge”, the spokesperson for the American Department of Defense, General Pat, said at a press conference. Ryder.
The ship was patrolling the Red Sea as part of the reinforced military presence of the United States in the region, decided by Joe Biden after the outbreak on October 7 of the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas, which has already left several thousand dead .
According to General Pat Ryder, the missiles probably fell offshore after their interception. “We cannot say with certainty what these missiles were targeting, but they were launched from Yemen, and were heading north along the Red Sea,” he said.
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Fears of regional escalation
The Iran-backed Houthis took control of the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, sparking a war against government forces that left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced millions, plunging the country into a crisis. of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
The interception of these drones and missiles comes in a context of increased fears by Washington of direct involvement by Tehran in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In Iraq, drone attacks against American forces and the international coalition in the country were “foiled” on Wednesday and the machines “shot down”, causing minor injuries, American military authorities said. Iraqi armed factions close to Iran have threatened in recent days to attack American interests in Iraq because of Washington’s support for Israel.
US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin announced on Saturday that the United States would send a second aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean to “deter hostile actions against Israel or any effort to expand this war.” .
On Tuesday, the Pentagon further announced that approximately 2,000 members of the US military had been placed on alert for possible deployment to the Middle East in support of Israel. A White House spokesperson, however, immediately clarified that it was above all a “signal of deterrence” and not combat troops.
With AFP
2023-10-20 08:40:51
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