In a frightening development that is escalating maritime tensions in the Middle East during the Israel-Hamas war, a US warship and multiple commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea on Sunday, according to the Pentagon. The USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, was targeted alongside at least two other commercial ships in an assault that lasted about five hours. The attack began around 10 AM local time and it is still unclear whether the American warship was struck.

While the Pentagon did not identify where the military fire came from, it confirmed that the Carney shot down at least one drone during the attack. However, Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have vowed to attack ships on the Red Sea in response to Israel's ground incursion into Gaza, later claimed responsibility for targeting two Israeli commercial ships but did not mention the US Navy vessel. The rebels justified their actions by stating that the ships failed to heed warnings to leave the region. One commercial vessel, belonging to a British company owned by Danny Ungar, son of Israeli shipping magnate Rami Ungar, was confirmed to have been hit during the attack.

This is not the first time the USS Carney has engaged with the Houthi rebels. Last week, the destroyer took down a drone launched from Yemen while sailing near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Prior to last week's attack, the Carney had successfully downed 15 drones and four cruise missiles fired from Yemen. Sunday's attack on the destroyer and commercial ships occurred around the same time as a suspected drone attack and explosion that occurred in the Red Sea, according to the British military.

The Israel-Hamas war has increasingly put global shipping at risk, with vessels coming under attack in the Red Sea. The Houthi rebels have been targeting vessels in the region while also launching drones and missiles at Israel. The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the attack began in Sanaa, Yemen, around 10 AM and lasted for up to five hours. The Houthis have not yet commented on their involvement in the attack, but a military spokesman for the group announced that an “important” statement would be released shortly.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time the Houthis have targeted ships linked to Israel. In November, they seized a vehicle transport ship in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, which is still being held near the port city of Hodeida. Last week, missiles also landed near another US warship after it assisted a vessel associated with Israel that had been briefly seized by gunmen. The Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, making this attack a significant escalation in the ongoing maritime conflict.

As the truce between Israel and Hamas halts fighting and hostage exchanges occur between the two sides, global shipping remains at risk. The maritime conflict linked to the Israel-Hamas war threatens to expand into a wider regional conflict. In 2016, the US launched Tomahawk cruise missiles to retaliate against missiles fired at US Navy ships, including the USS Mason, by the Houthi rebels. The situation in the Red Sea continues to evolve, and further updates are expected as more information becomes available.

Note: The news item has been paraphrased and condensed for brevity.