Houthis claim 'hit', US issues denial
In a statement released by the Houthis, it was claimed that 5 ships were targeted in the Mediterranean and at Israel's Haifa Port. A statement from the US, however, noted that the claim of a 'direct hit' does not reflect the truth.
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The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen stated that they carried out 2 attacks against Israel in coordination with a Shiite coalition called the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq."
The statement said, "In the first attack, 2 cargo ships and 2 cement tankers belonging to companies that violated the decision to ban entry to the ports of occupied Palestine were targeted with a large number of drones."
In the other attack, it was noted that a ship heading to the Port of Haifa in the Mediterranean was targeted and that the attacks were "direct hits."
The statement indicated that the attacks were carried out in response to the crimes committed by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and in support of the Palestinian people.
US: 'SUCCESSFUL ATTACK' CLAIM IS NOT TRUE
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the Houthis' claim of having carried out a "successful attack" on the aircraft carrier "USS Dwight D. Eisenhower" does not reflect the truth.
CENTCOM issued a written statement regarding the matter.
The statement reported that in the last 24 hours, the US destroyed 3 unmanned surface vessels belonging to the Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea.
The statement, which noted that the vehicles in question posed a direct threat to US forces and ships in the region, argued that the US took this step to protect freedom of navigation and to make international waters safer for US Navy ships and commercial vessels.
The statement also noted that the Houthis fired 3 anti-ship ballistic missiles from the region they control in Yemen into the Gulf of Aden, and that there was no significant damage or injuries.
The statement, which said, "Claims that Houthi forces carried out a successful attack on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower are not true," argued that while the Houthis claim to represent Palestinians in Gaza, they are endangering the lives of innocent people.
The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) had previously announced that the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was departing the area of operations and beginning its journey back to the US.
On December 6, the Pentagon stated that they were in talks to establish an international "Maritime Task Force" against the attacks by Houthi forces in Yemen on commercial ships in the Red Sea, and on December 18, they announced the creation of a multinational mission called "Operation Prosperity Guardian."