U.S. Fighter Aircraft Intercept Houthi-launched Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Targeting Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer

In a tense escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, a U.S. fighter aircraft intercepted an anti-ship cruise missile fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas in Yemen toward the USS Laboon (DDG 58) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

The incident occurred on Sunday (Jan 14) at approximately 4:45 p.m. Sana’a time.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the interception in a statement posted on its official social media account, X, formerly known as Twitter. The missile was shot down near the coast of Hudaydah, averting a potential threat to the USS Laboon.

CENTCOM's statement highlighted that no injuries or damages were reported following the interception. The successful defense is a testament to the readiness and capabilities of U.S. forces in the region.

The missile launch came amidst heightened tensions in the region, with the United States and British forces conducting strikes on Houthi targets in retaliation for attacks on Red Sea shipping vessels linked to Israel. These strikes, which involved Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, aimed to stabilize crucial Red Sea shipping lanes.

Experts have noted that the ambitious missile attack from Houthi-controlled areas, if successful, could have triggered a larger regional conflict. The involvement of the U.S. has intensified concerns about the potential spillover effect in the already volatile region.

The retaliatory strikes by the U.S. and its allies on Houthi targets were prompted by the group's attacks on Red Sea shipping vessels. Australia also provided personnel support to these operations.

The Houthi militants claim that their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In response to the strikes, Hezbollah, an Iran-backed outfit, warned that the U.S. and its allies were mistaken if they believed the Houthis would back down.

U.S. President Joe Biden has consistently characterized the strikes as a direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Supreme Political Council in Sana’a, has claimed that the U.S. and Britain pose a global threat through their “illegal and terrorist” actions, particularly in obstructing ship passage in the Red Sea. He argues that the U.S.-led Joint Maritime Forces' directives to suspend transit reveal their responsibility for challenges in the Suez Canal. Al-Houthi suggests that resolving the issue requires addressing Israeli aggression in Gaza and lifting the blockade, rather than resorting to aggressive strikes against Yemen. These remarks come in response to instructions from the Joint Maritime Forces, led by the U.S., for oil tankers to avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after joint U.S. and British aggression against Yemen.