### US Navy Thwarts Houthi Missile and Drone Attack in Red Sea

In a significant display of defensive capability, US Navy warships successfully intercepted a series of missile and drone attacks initiated by the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on Friday. Describing the incident as a "complex attack," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh confirmed that no US warships sustained damage, and there were no reported injuries among American personnel.

During a press briefing, Singh elaborated on the ordeal, revealing that the barrage included both cruise missiles and drones. "We observed a complex attack launched by the Houthis comprising cruise missiles and drones," Singh stated. "These threats were either intercepted and destroyed or failed on their own." Despite the Houthi claims of hitting three Navy warships with nearly two dozen ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones, US officials have refuted these assertions, citing a lack of credible evidence.

When questioned about the intended targets of the attack, Singh conveyed uncertainty. "It's sometimes difficult to ascertain whether they are specifically targeting a US ship or another vessel in the vicinity. Nevertheless, we always take appropriate measures for our self-defense," she noted. "We acted to protect our forces, resulting in no hits, no damage, and no injuries to our personnel."

At the time of the attack, the US Navy had five warships in the Red Sea, including the destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen, USS Michael Murphy, USS Spruance, USS Stockdale, and the littoral combat ship USS Indianapolis. Initially, only the Petersen and Michael Murphy were present in the region, indicating that the other three warships had been recently deployed due to escalating regional tensions.

This increase in naval presence corresponds with rising fears of a potential full-scale conflict involving Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Some reports identified the Spruance, Stockdale, and Indianapolis as the ships targeted in the Houthi assault.

This event underscores the ongoing threat posed by the Houthi rebels, who have a history of attacking commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with missiles and drones. US warships frequently engage these threats and conduct strikes against the rebels in Yemen. Despite a relative lull in activity over the past two weeks, during which US forces destroyed a missile system in Yemen and two drones over the Red Sea, this incident marks a notable escalation in Houthi provocations.