Missiles fired from Yemen fall short of US warship
DUBAI (AFP) — Two missiles fired from rebel-held territory in Yemen fell short of a US warship patrolling the Red Sea off the coast of the wartorn country, the US Navy said yesterday.
The USS Mason “detected two inbound missiles” within an hour of each other from around 7 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Sunday, said US Naval Forces Central Command spokeswoman Paula Dunn.
The destroyer had been “conducting routine operations in international waters” at the time, she said in a statement.
“Both missiles impacted the water before reaching the ship,” said Dunn, adding that “there were no injuries to our sailors and no damage to the ship.”
“We assess these missiles were launched from Huthicontrolled territory in Yemen,” she said, referring to the Iranbacked rebels fighting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Also yesterday, the Arab coalition fighting the Huthis accused the rebels of firing a ballistic missile toward the southwestern Saudi city of Taif.
The missile was one of two which the Saudi-led coalition intercepted on Sunday, the coalition said, adding the other was launched toward Marib, east of Yemen’s rebel- held capital Sanaa.
The incidents come after the United Arab Emirates said last Wednesday that Yemeni rebels struck a “civilian” vessel in the strategic Bab al-Mandab waterway, wounding crewmen.
That attack, which was carried out on Oct. 1, was claimed by the Shiite rebels.
The UAE is a key member of a Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the Yemeni rebels since March last year.