A U.S. Navy destroyer on Thursday intercepted a barrage of missiles fired by Iran-backed fighters in Yemen.
Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the USS Carney was operating in the northern Red Sea on Thursday when it shot down three land-fired cruise missiles and several drones fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthis, who are supported by Iran, are currently in a cease-fire amid a civil war with the Yemeni government.
“Our defensive response was one we would have taken for any similar threat in the region,” Ryder said.
There were no casualties on either side, he noted, adding that it was unclear why the missiles were launched, but they may have been targeting Israel.
The USS Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer under deployment in the Middle East to help with maritime security.
The ship was transiting the Suez Canal as of Wednesday, according to the U.S. 5th Fleet.
Ryder said the U.S. would remain “vigilant” as forces deploy in the region.
“This action was a demonstration of the integrated air and missile defense architecture that we have built in the Middle East and that we are prepared to utilize whenever necessary,” Ryder said at a briefing with reporters.
U.S. forces have also responded to drone attacks on American bases in Iraq and Syria this week, which have caused minor damage.