US Denies Allegations of Yemen’s Houthis Attacking Aircraft Carrier in Red Sea
Defense Department spokespersons have clarified that online rumors regarding Yemen’s Ansar Allah group, also known as the Houthis, damaging an American aircraft carrier in the Red Sea are “100-percent false,” as reported by The Epoch Times.
U.S. defense officials have firmly denied the claims made by the Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree that they had successfully struck the USS Eisenhower or any other U.S. Navy vessel in the Red Sea. Despite the repeated assertions by Mr. Saree, CENTCOM stated that the Houthi claims are part of an “ongoing disinformation campaign.”
According to CENTCOM, the missiles and drones fired by the Houthis did not cause any damage or casualties, with U.S. forces intercepting three drones while the fourth crashed into the sea. Nevertheless, the Houthis continue to assert their attacks on the American aircraft carrier.
In response to the alleged Houthi attacks, the U.S. and British forces conducted strikes on Houthi-controlled locations in Yemen on May 30. The strikes targeted sites in the port of Hodeidah where drones and surface-to-air missiles were reportedly stored by the Houthis.
The ongoing conflict in the region has resulted in disruptions to maritime traffic and international commerce, prompting the launch of “Operation Prosperity Guardian” to safeguard Red Sea shipping. The Houthis, supported by Iran, have been labeled as a “specially designated global terrorist group” by the U.S. Department of State earlier this year.
The relentless attacks by the Houthis have drawn condemnation from international bodies like NATO member Greece, who noted a reduction in the intensity of attacks in recent days. However, the continued provocations by the Iranian-backed Houthis pose a significant threat to regional stability and the safety of mariners in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
