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The U.S. Navy intervened to cease the hijacking of a industrial cargo ship by pirates within the Gulf of Aden close to Somalia on Sunday, after which two ballistic missiles have been fired from Yemen towards the Navy destroyer that responded to the incident, the U.S. military stated.
The ballistic missiles have been fired from the a part of Yemen managed by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, based on an announcement launched by U.S. Central Command, which oversees American army operations within the area. If the missiles have been meant to hit the usS. Mason, a Navy destroyer, they fell properly wanting the mark: They landed within the Gulf of Aden 10 nautical miles from the American ship.
The usS. Mason, and different ships from the U.S.-led counter-piracy job drive that operates off the coast of Somalia, responded after the crew of the industrial ship, the Central Park, known as for assist. The Central Park crew reported they have been underneath assault from an unknown entity, U.S. Central Command stated.
When the coalition vessels arrived on the Central Park, they demanded the discharge of the ship. 5 armed folks fled from the ship and tried to flee within the small boat that they had used to assault the cargo ship. The usS. Mason pursued the attackers and compelled them to give up, the information launch stated. Fox News reported the rescue earlier.
Later, at about 1:41 a.m. native time on Monday, greater than 16 hours after the preliminary assault, two ballistic missiles have been fired towards the usS. Mason, which was “concluding its response” to the assault on the time.
U.S. officers wouldn’t say who was accountable for the assault and if the five-person group was performing underneath the orders of a state or group. However officers stated that they’re investigating whether or not Iran was concerned, or if it was an assault unrelated to the regional tensions which have intensified since Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault on Israel, which prompted Israel to launch a conflict in opposition to the militant group in Gaza.
Houthi rebels, who’re backed by Iran within the conflict in Yemen, attacked a number of industrial vessels final week within the Purple Sea — a physique of water subsequent to the Gulf of Aden — together with the Central Park. The Houthis and different teams backed by Iran, together with Hezbollah in Lebanon, have elevated assaults on Israel since Oct. 7.
Officers stated it’s not clear if the attackers have been the identical group that tried to take the ship earlier. Whereas the Houthi rebels struck within the Purple Sea, the Gulf of Aden the place the Central Park was attacked is much from their space of operations. One U.S. official and one former Pentagon official stated Iranian involvement within the operation is being investigated.
Zodiac Maritime, the London-based firm that manages the vessel, stated that the ship and crew are actually secure and unhurt however supplied few additional particulars. The ship’s crew had issued a misery name on Sunday reporting they have been underneath assault by pirates, as they handed by the Gulf of Aden, about 54 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, based on Zodiac Maritime. Zodiac Maritime is led by Eyal Ofer, an Israeli-born transport magnate.
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