The guided missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner opened fire on a drone flying from Yemen early Wednesday morning (local time) and shot it down. Pentagon officials announced it Wednesday.
Defense officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity did not say how close the drone came to the US ship.
Recall that in October of this year, another US warship intercepted four cruise missiles and 15 drones launched from Yemen towards Israel by Houthi forces backed by Iran. Houthi militants oppose Yemeni government forces and are part of the “resistance axis” of Islamist groups opposed to Israel.
Pentagon officials did not say who owned the drone shot down Wednesday.
Yemen’s Houthi militias have claimed responsibility for several recent drone and missile attacks during Israel’s war against Hamas (remember, this group is designated a terrorist group by the United States).
US troops in Iraq and Syria have been hit by dozens of rocket and drone attacks in recent weeks, which the US blames on Iran-backed Islamist groups.
Since Oct. 17, U.S. and coalition troops have been attacked in Iraq and Syria at least 55 times, leaving 59 people injured, according to the Pentagon. All the wounded returned to duty.
US troops in the Middle East are on high alert, trying to prevent an escalation of the conflict in the region.
Reuters previously reported that the US military is taking new measures to protect personnel and is considering evacuating military families if necessary.
According to the Pentagon, the measures in question include increased patrols, limited access to bases and increased intelligence gathering, including through drones and other means of surveillance.
The Houthis, who have been fighting the Saudi-led coalition since 2015, have become a major military force in the Arabian Peninsula, with tens of thousands of fighters and many missiles and drones.
On Tuesday, the Houthi leader said his forces would continue attacks against Israel and could attack Israeli ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Last week, the Houthis shot down a US MQ-9 military drone in international airspace.
Over the past month, the United States sent a significant naval force to the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers and support ships.
