STORY: Yemen's Houthi group says targeting U.S. ship in Red Sea
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 10, 2024
DATELINE: Jan. 11, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:04
LOCATION: Sanaa
CATEGORY: MILITARY

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): YAHYA SAREA, Military spokesman for Houthi Group

STORYLINE:

Yemen's Houthi group announced on Wednesday that it has launched "a large batch" of drones and missiles toward a U.S. navy vessel in the Red Sea, which was "assisting" Israel.
   
SOUNDBITE (Arabic): YAHYA SAREA, Military spokesman for Houthi Group
"With the help of God Almighty, the naval forces, the missile force, and the unmanned air force of the Yemeni armed forces carried out a joint military operation with a large number of ballistic and naval missiles and drones, targeting an American ship that was providing support to the Zionist entity. The operation came as a preliminary response to the treacherous attack our naval forces were subjected to by the American enemy forces on Sunday the 18th of Jumada al-Akhirah 1445 AH."
   
Earlier in the day, residents of Yemen's Red Sea port city Hodeidah reported seeing numerous drones and missiles lighting up the night sky, heading toward the direction of the Red Sea.
   
Explosions and fireballs were also heard and seen throughout the night, causing panic among the residents in Hodeidah, eyewitnesses told Xinhua.
   
The U.S. Central Command confirmed the incident, stating that 18 drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile were launched from Houthi-controlled territory.
   
The drones and missiles "targeted international shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea, where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting," the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
   
It added that through a combined effort by U.S. and British naval forces, all 21 projectiles were intercepted and neutralized.
   
There were no injuries or damage reported yet.
   
This is the 26th Houthi attack on commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea since Nov. 19, according to U.S. Central Command.
   
The Houthi group has escalated their attacks on Israel-linked ships since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on Oct. 7 to protest Israel's offensive in Gaza.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Sanaa.
(XHTV)