The USS Thomas Hudner, a guided missile destroyer, intercepted and shot down a drone dispatched from Yemen over the Red Sea early Wednesday, as reported by two U.S. defense officials.
In contrast to a previous incident last month where an American destroyer thwarted multiple drones and missiles aimed at Israel, this particular drone was headed towards the USS Thomas Hudner, officials said. The party responsible for launching the drone is currently unclear, but earlier in the week, the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen issued threats to attack ships in the Red Sea.
This event follows the recent Houthis’ downing of a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper Drone over the Red Sea last week. The U.S. opted not to initiate a recovery effort for the approximately $30 million drone. Although the Houthis attempted salvage, Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh expressed doubt about their ability to “recover anything of significance.”
The incidents involving the USS Thomas Hudner and the downing of the MQ-9 raise concerns about an escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, a situation that the U.S. has been working to contain.
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