The US forces intercepted and neutralized a barrage of 12 attack drones, 3 anti-ship ballistic missiles, and 2 land attack cruise missiles launched by Houthi rebels in the Southern Red Sea over the past 10 hours, the Central Command said in a social media post on Monday.
"US assets, to include the USS LABOON (DDG 58) and F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, shot down twelve one-way attack drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two land attack cruise missiles in the Southern Red Sea that were fired by the Houthis over a 10 hour period which began at approximately 6:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) on December 26. There was no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries," the post said.
Last week, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the establishment of a multinational operation to secure the Red Sea amid the surge in Houthis' attacks on Israeli-linked cargo ships, saying that the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles, and Spain would take part in the mission.
The Houthis, for their part, vowed to attack any ships that join the US-led maritime coalition.