US fighter aircraft on Sunday shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired at a US Navy destroyer from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
The missile was fired toward USS Laboon, which was operating in the southern Red Sea. No injuries or damage were reported.
“On Jan. 14 at approximately 4:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), an anti-ship cruise missile was fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon (DDG 58), which was operating in the Southern Red Sea. The missile was shot down in vicinity of the coast of Hudaydah by U.S. fighter aircraft. There were no injuries or damage reported,” said the statement, posted to X.
The incident comes amid increased tensions with the Houthis, who have upped their attacks since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7.
US and British strikes targeted the Houthis last Thursday and Friday, after the Biden administration and its allies warned the Iran-backed group it would bear the consequences of its attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The Houthi movement has threatened a "strong and effective response" after the second strike, which the US said hit a radar site.
Two days before the US and British strikes, the two armies shot down 21 drones and missiles fired by the Houthis towards the Red Sea, in what was one of the biggest attacks by the group to date.