Sailors serving on a U.S. warship in the Middle East were honored Tuesday for their efforts in shooting down more than a dozen drones launched by insurgents more than two weeks ago, military officials said.
Sailors serve on the USS Kearney. On December 16, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer shot down 14 drones over the Red Sea on the border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The Pentagon said the attack drone was launched by Yemen’s Iranian-allied Houthi rebels.
5th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Brad Cooper visited the Kearney in Bahrain on Tuesday to award medals to several sailors who helped down the Houthi drone. The Navy said the medal recognized the “extraordinary performance” of its sailors. Cooper also commended the entire crew of the Kearney, awarding them the Combat Action Ribbon, awarded for their active participation in combat.
The Houthi rebels, who have been fighting a decade-long civil war in Yemen, have engaged U.S. forces multiple times in recent months. Apart from flying drones on December 16, the rebels launched missiles across the region and in some cases towards Israel.
“It’s very important to understand that the Houthis are not just attacking one country. They are really attacking the international community,” said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s top spokesperson. Ta. “So, in effect, they became bandits along the international highway known as the Red Sea.”
The USS Carney shot down much of the Houthi weapons. In mid-October, warships shot down a barrage of missiles and drones fired by the Houthis toward Israel. The attack occurred days after Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7.
The Kearney, which has been in service since 1996, is equipped with several guns, missiles, and torpedoes and is part of the military’s Aegis ballistic missile defense system, which provides protection against short- and intermediate-range missiles. The Carney and several other ships were sent to the Middle East in October to bring stability to the region and prevent other countries and groups from escalating the conflict.
Last week, U.S. forces again shot down more than a dozen Houthi missiles and drones in the southern Red Sea, in a gunfight that officials said lasted 10 hours. Other Iranian-backed militias have carried out more than 100 attacks on U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria since the start of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, all of which have seriously injured or seriously injured U.S. military personnel. No property damage was caused.