Air Force shoots down Houthi drones fired at Navy carrier strike group

American fighter jets shot down multiple Houthi drones fired from Yemen over several hours Sunday. The interceptions over the Red Sea mark the first time in more than two months that Houthis targeted U.S. Navy ships and come a day after the Truman Carrier Strike Group bombed several targets inside Yemen.

The Houthis launched 11 drones and one ballistic missile at the USS Harry S. Truman and the supporting ships of its carrier strike group, a U.S. official with knowledge of the incident told Task & Purpose. The engagements started shortly after midnight local time on Sunday, March 16 and lasted approximately 12 hours. All of the drones were shot down by U.S. Air Force jets over the Red Sea. 

The ballistic missile splashed into the water, and was not on a trajectory to threaten the Navy ships, the U.S. official said. Houthi spokesmen first announced the attack on the Truman carrier strike group, initially claiming to have fired 18 missiles and a single drone.