With the U.S. on the brink of World War III, ballistic missiles were recently fired by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen toward a U.S. Naval destroyer.
The USS Mason had responded to a distress call from a commercial tanker, M/V Central Park, which was approximately 35 miles south of Yemen’s coast in the Gulf of Aden, according to the Blaze.
The alleged attackers are said to have seized the Liberian-flagged tanker, which is reportedly managed by Great Britain’s Zodiac Maritime.
Zodiac Maritime reported that the tanker had been carrying phosphoric acid and 22 sailors from Bulgaria, Georgia, India, the Philippines, Russia, Vietnam and Turkey.
The tanker was seized by five unknown gunmen, presumably pirates.
After the USS Mason arrived at the tanker’s location, the five pirates attempted to flee on a small boat but were later detained by officials aboard the U.S. destroyer.
The U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) explained what recently went down in a statement, writing, “Two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward the general location of the USS Mason and M/V Central Park.”
On Nov. 26, the USS MASON (DDG 87), with allied ships from our coalition counter-piracy task force (TF 151), and associated aircraft responded to a distress call from the M/V CENTRAL PARK, a commercial vessel, that they were under attack by an unknown entity. Upon arrival,… pic.twitter.com/ASmM3b0xrf
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 27, 2023
The missiles were launched shortly after the pirates were arrested and landed about 10 nautical miles away from the USS Mason and M/V Central Park, per CENTCOM.
Thankfully, there have been no reported damages or injuries because of the missile launch.
Yemen’s government pointed the finger at Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for the attack on M/V Central Park — an accusation reported by Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin.
Griffin said she was approached by two U.S. officials, who told her that Iran-backed Houthi rebels were behind the attack.
“Two senior U.S. officials tell me that Houthi forces fired two ballistic missiles at the USS Mason this evening in the Gulf of Aden following the Navy’s arrest of 5 gunmen who tried to hijack the MV Central Park. The U.S. Navy successfully rescued the vessel,” Griffin wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“USS Mason, an Arleigh Burke Class destroyer, tracked the ballistic missiles as they approached but both missiles fell short splashing into the Gulf of Aden,” she added.
Authorities said the attack follows a series of naval ship attacks that have been linked to the ongoing Middle East war between Israel and Hamas, a terrorist organization, as reported by the Associated Press (AP).
