Three U.S. destroyers in the Red Sea were attacked by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group, the militants announced on Friday. The group also launched missile and drone attacks on the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Ashkelon to demonstrate their backing of Gaza and Lebanon.
The Israeli military reported that it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, which activated sirens in central Israel. The Houthis' military spokesperson has reportedly said that their operations will continue until Israel ceases its offensives in Gaza and Lebanon. Yahya Sarea confirmed that the group fired a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv and sent a drone toward Ashkelon in southern Israel.
US Destroyers Attacked Unprovoked
"We will carry out more military operations against the Israeli enemy to triumph for the sake of our brothers' blood in Palestine and Lebanon," he added in a televised speech.
In a separate televised address, Sarea said that the group had simultaneously targeted three U.S. destroyers in the Red Sea with 23 ballistic and winged missiles, along with a drone, as the vessels were heading to support Israel.
According to a U.S. official, U.S. Navy warships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait intercepted several missiles and drones launched by the Houthis.
The official, speaking anonymously and based on preliminary information, reported that none of the three warships sustained any damage.
Since Monday, Israeli strikes have killed more than 600 people in Lebanon, marking the most intense conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah in over 18 years.
Hezbollah on Attack Mode
For almost a year, Hezbollah has been launching rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, a Palestinian militant group fighting Israel in Gaza. Health officials report that over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli attacks on Gaza.
The conflict was sparked by a Hamas assault on Israel, during which the militants killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
This came as it was reported that China lost its most advanced nuclear-powered submarine earlier this year in a naval yard accident, raising concerns that the country may be overextending itself as it strives to build a navy capable of matching the strength of America's.
The submarine, belonging to the new Zhou-class — China's first line of nuclear-powered attack subs — sank at a shipyard near Wuhan in late May or early June, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Chinese military has remained silent about the event while continuing to promote its "maritime superiority" in the South China Sea, with particular focus on the potential for a Taiwan invasion.
