Houthi Rebels' Drone Attack Escalates Tensions in Red Sea

Aerial drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit a vessel in the Red Sea. The attack damaged the ship but no mariners were harmed. The action reflects ongoing naval assaults by Houthis amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US has deployed the USS Theodore Roosevelt to replace the returning USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

An aerial drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck and damaged a vessel in the Red Sea on Sunday, officials said. This marks the latest attack by the group targeting shipping in the vital maritime corridor.

The US has responded by sending home the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower after an eight-month deployment, while the USS Theodore Roosevelt will take its place post-exercises in the Indo-Pacific, according to Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack on the vessel identified as the Transworld Navigator, which had recently docked in Malaysia before heading to Egypt. Central Command noted minor injuries among mariners on board.

This incident is part of a larger campaign by Iranian-backed Houthis, claiming to target vessels linked to Israel, the US, or Britain, although many have no connections to the Israel-Hamas war. The attacks, totaling over 60 since November, have led to the deaths of four sailors and the seizing or sinking of multiple ships.