The American ship and its partners responded to an attempt to hijack the merchant ship Central Park by a group of unknown individuals. After repelling the attempt to seize the ship, the Yemeni Houthis fired missiles toward the destroyer.
Houthi rebels from Yemen seize the commercial tanker Central Park in the Gulf of Aden. The US destroyer USS Mason and its partners came to the ship’s aid. They freed the merchant ship, but then Iranian proxies fired two ballistic missiles toward the destroyer. This was reported by the US Central Command.
On Nov. 26, the USS MASON (DDG 87), with allied ships from our coalition counter-piracy task force (TF 151), and associated aircraft responded to a distress call from the M/V CENTRAL PARK, a commercial vessel, that they were under attack by an unknown entity. Upon arrival,… pic.twitter.com/ASmM3b0xrf
– U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 27, 2023
On November 26, the US Navy destroyer USS Mason, along with allied ships, responded to a distress call from the merchant ship Central Park, which had been attacked by an unknown entity. The coalition was able to free the vessel. Later, five attackers tried to escape in a small boat. An American destroyer chased the fugitives and forced them to surrender. The crew of the merchant ship is safe.
Then, at approximately 1:41 a.m. on November 27, two ballistic missiles were launched from Iranian-controlled proxy areas in Yemen in the direction of the USS Mason destroyer and the Central Park ship. The missiles fell about 10 nautical miles (18 km) from the ships. At that time, the US Navy ship was completing its response operation. It is noted that the crew members of the ships were not injured.
“We will continue to work with our allies and partners to ensure the security of international shipping lanes,” said General Michael E. Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command.
