US shoots down two missiles in Red Sea launched by Houthis

An American destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Yemen on Saturday as it responded to a call for help from a container ship that was hit separately, the US Central Command (Centcom) said.

Centcom said the US destroyers Gravely and Laboon responded to a request for assistance from the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container ship that reported being struck by a missile while transiting the Red Sea, according to The Guardian.

While responding, missiles were launched towards the ships from territory controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Centcom said.

The Gravely shot down the missiles, Centcom said, describing it as the “23rd illegal attack by the Houthis on international shipping” since 19 November.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organisation said it received a report of an incident in the Red Sea about 55 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah. The master of an unidentified ship reported “a loud bang accompanied by a flash on the port bow of the vessel” and several explosions in the area. No damage was reported and all crew were reported to be safe. The vessel had cleared the area at full speed to the next port of call.

The Houthis have targeted vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping lane with strikes they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is waging war to root out the militant group Hamas.

Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea in response to the attacks, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.

The Yemeni rebels have said they are targeting Israel and Israeli-linked vessels. The US set up a multinational naval taskforce to protect the Red Sea transit route, which carries up to 12% of global trade.

When the former Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha delivered his New Year message back in 1967, he pulled the cord marked “truth bomb”. “This year will be harder than last year,” he declared. “It will, however, be easier than next year.” I mean … on the one hand: thanks for not sugar-coating it, Enver. On the other: way to kill the party buzz, you monster!

I don’t want to murder the atmosphere (or indeed any dissidents) by reminding you of the news year you’ve just lived through – or by warning you of the news year you’re about to live through. It’s not big, it’s not clever, and it’s sure as heck not seasonal.

But I will say, pointedly, that our reporting feels particularly necessary in dark times. If you can, please help support the Guardian on a monthly basis from just €2, so as to keep it open for everyone. I can’t tell you how much it would be appreciated. A free press is needed now as much as it has ever been – and on some days, more than it has ever been.

In return for this support, I am formally* bestowing upon you the right to refer to yourself – in conversation, in the pub, and on any business cards you may care to have printed up – as “a newspaper baron”. Face it: if you pay to support a news organisation, then you ARE to all intents and purposes a newspaper baron. Just enjoy it! All the others do.

With that, it simply remains is for me to wish you a very happy holidays, and a splendid new year. Goodness knows you’ve earned it.