Pentagon Acknowledges Attack by Sanaa Forces on Two U.S. Destroyers in the Red Sea, Remains Silent on Aircraft Carrier Incident
NYN | Reports and analyses
The U.S. military has confirmed that two American destroyers were attacked in the Red Sea by Yemeni forces allied with Sanaa’s government, yet refrained from commenting on reports of an alleged attack on the aircraft carrier “Abraham Lincoln.” This reticence has sparked questions regarding transparency, particularly in light of a previous incident where the U.S. initially denied any attack on the “USS Eisenhower” before later acknowledging it.
Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder stated Tuesday evening that the destroyers “USS Spruance” and “USS Stockdale” were attacked by “eight armed drones, five anti-ship ballistic missiles, and three anti-ship cruise missiles,” and claimed that the American forces “successfully intercepted the threat.”
Ryder noted that the attack occurred as the destroyers were passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Hours prior to Ryder’s statement, Sanaa forces had announced an attack on two American warships in the Red Sea, deploying several ballistic missiles and drones.
According to the U.S. Naval Institute’s website “USNI News,” this is the second time the two destroyers have come under attack by Sanaa forces, following an initial attack in late September. At that time, they were operating independently as part of “Operation Sentinel.” However, as of earlier this week, they had been attached to the “Abraham Lincoln” carrier strike group.
Sanaa’s forces also claimed yesterday to have targeted the “Abraham Lincoln” carrier stationed in the Arabian Sea with a number of cruise missiles and drones, declaring that they had “achieved their objectives.” However, the Pentagon did not confirm or deny this claim, with Ryder saying he had “no information regarding that incident.”
Several indicators point toward the likelihood of an attack on the carrier, particularly the timing, as it reportedly moved significantly closer to Sanaa-controlled areas, approaching the Gulf of Aden. Open-source tracking data indicated that it was positioned just 650 kilometers from Sanaa-held territory, lending credence to reports that the carrier strike group was preparing for possible engagements.
The U.S. military had previously denied an attack on the “USS Eisenhower” in June, which Sanaa forces claimed to have carried out. Later, Rear Adm. Marc Miguez, former commander of the “Eisenhower” strike group, acknowledged repositioning the carrier multiple times to avoid attacks. Recently, CTC Sentinel, a publication of the U.S. Counter-Terrorism Center, disclosed that a missile launched by Sanaa forces in June had narrowly missed the “Eisenhower” by just 200 meters. The Washington Institute’s Michael Knights commented that “the combination of broad surveillance, close target tracking, and terminal guidance allowed Sanaa forces to accomplish some impressive targeting feats, including nearly hitting an American carrier.”
