National Defense

US Warship Shoots Down Drone From Yemen

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) leads a mass formation of ships from Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, France, Canada, Australia and the United States through the Pacific Ocean July 24, 2010, during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2010. RIMPAC is the world's largest international maritime exercise and is designed to increase mutual cooperation and enhance the tactical capabilities of participating nations in various aspects of maritime operations at sea. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Scott Taylor, U.S. Navy/Released)

A Navy warship defended itself against a drone fired from Yemen early Wednesday local time, the Pentagon confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

While transiting the Red Sea, the USS Thomas Hudner, an Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer, targeted and destroyed an attacking drone that originated from Yemen, the Pentagon said. The incident marks the second time a U.S. warship is known to have defended against projectiles from Yemen, where the Houthi rebel group has launched drone, rocket and missile attacks on Israel in response to the war against Hamas.

“The USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) engaged a drone that originated from Yemen and was heading in the direction of the ship. The drone was destroyed and there were no U.S. casualties. We do not have additional details to provide at this time,” the Pentagon told the DCNF in a statement.

The Hudner was “transiting through the Red Sea” at the time of the incident, the Pentagon said.

Over the course of nine hours on Oct. 19, a U.S. destroyer transiting the Red Sea intercepted at least three missiles and several drones the Pentagon alleged were aimed at Israel, CNN reported.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper surveillance drone on Nov. 9.

Israel’s military intercepted a missile fired at Israel from Yemen over the Red Sea on Tuesday, the Times of Israel reported.  The Houthi militants claimed launches of ballistic missiles on Israeli military targets, including ones in Eilat, Reuters reported.

Launches occurred “after 24 hours of another military operation by drones on the same Israeli targets,” the Houthis’ military spokesperson said, according to Reuters. He added the militants “will not hesitate to target any Israeli ship in the Red Sea or at any other place” within their range.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the first combat use of the Arrow 3 defense system on Nov. 9 in defense against attacks from Yemen’s Houthis, Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson reported.