(BBC News) Nafiseh Kohnavard - When Yemen's Houthis began firing missiles and flying drones into commercial ships in the Red Sea, the crew of the USS Bataan assault ship found themselves having to adapt to air combat, sending jets out to try and shoot them down. Since mid-December, the Yemeni Houthis have attacked more than two dozen shipping vessels, claiming all were either Israeli-owned or operated. However, many appear to have no connection with Israel at all. Lead pilot Capt. Earl Ehrhart says he has intercepted seven Houthi drones. But when flying so close to these explosive devices, every interception carries great risk. "They are shooting at us all the time, so we need to be even more focused. Our systems need to be primed so we can stay safe." The Combat Information Center on the USS Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer, equipped with elite radar, is the eyes and ears for all the U.S. warships in the area. It sends out alerts for any perceived threat from land or sea.
2024-02-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive