An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack in the Red Sea on Sunday, the Pentagon confirmed.

The attack on US maritime vessels potentially marks a major escalation in a series of attacks in the Middle East, linked to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The Pentagon confirmed that Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney – stationed in the waters between Africa and Asia – was under attack. 

On October 19, images showed the US vessel defending itself against a combination of Iran-backed Houthi missiles and aerial vehicles – which it successfully shot down.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels later took credit for attacking two ships – without saying they were American – one with a missile and one with a drone. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the attacks would continue as long as Israel remains at war with Hamas in Gaza. 

Pictured: USS Carney, DDG 64, in  Jacksonville, Florida. The Pentagon said: ‘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’

This image, taken on October 19, 2023, shows the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) defeating a combination of Houthi missiles

The Pentagon said on Sunday morning: ‘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.’ 

The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea, without elaborating. 

Houthi rebels have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea – as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel as it wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Yemeni rebels were officially recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States under the Trump administration – until Biden removed the militants from the list in 2021. 

Aid groups had said at the time of Trump’s move that it could further devastate the country, which was plunged into civil war in 2014.

Backed by Iran, the group expressed support for Hamas in the wake of the terror group’s October 7 attack on Israel and has launched other attacks since.

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Just last week, Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired missiles at a US Navy destroyer off the coast of Yemen in a ‘significant escalation’ with American forces.

The USS Mason had responded to a distress call on Sunday from an Israeli-linked chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden that had been seized by armed rebels.

The Central Park tanker was carrying a cargo of phosphoric acid when its crew called for help, saying ‘they were under attack from an unknown entity’.

Allied ships from a counter-piracy task force that operates in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, including the USS Mason, responded to the call for help and ‘demanded the release of the vessel’ upon reaching the tanker.

‘Subsequently, five armed individuals debarked the ship and attempted to flee via their small boat,’ the US Central Command said in a statement, adding: ‘The Mason pursued the attackers resulting in their eventual surrender.’

Hours later, at 1.41am local time, two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen then landed near the US warship – a guided-missile destroyer, raising the stakes amid a series of ship attacks linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Ionian Sea, in October 2023

Both missiles fell short by 10 nautical miles and landed in the water. 

The tanker hijacked last Sunday was identified as the Liberian-flagged Central Park by the vessel’s company Zodiac Maritime after its seizure.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government blamed the Houthi rebels for the attack, though the rebels in control of the capital, Sanaa, did not acknowledge either the seizure or the missile attack. 

The Central Command did not identify the attackers, but said a missile launch from Houthi-controlled Yemen followed early Monday morning.

‘The missiles landed in the Gulf of Aden approximately 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) from the ships,’ the statement said. ‘The USS Mason – was concluding its response to the M/V Central Park distress call at the time of the missile launches. There was no damage or reported injuries from either vessel during this incident.’

Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM commander said: ‘Maritime domain security is essential to regional stability. We will continue to work with allies and partners to ensure the safety and security of international shipping lanes.’