The USS Carney's defense of three commercial vessels in the Red Sea, targeted by the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen, has led to a series of misleading claims and comments about the impact of the attacks and the group said to be behind them.
The Pentagon on Sunday announced that attacks had been carried out on a United States warship as well as commercial vessels stationed in the Middle East, which could be a significant escalation in the ongoing war in the region.
On October 7, Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in a surprise attack on southern Israel, the Associated Press reported. Israel Defense Forces have subsequently killed more than 15,200 people in Gaza, according to Gaza health officials cited by AP.
There were "four attacks against three separate commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea" on Sunday, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. The U.S. military named the three ships as the Unity Explorer, Number 9 and Sophie II.
The Houthi movement said it attacked the Unity Explorer and Number 9 but said they were Israeli vessels. A spokesperson for Israel's military said they had no connection to Israel, and the U.S. described the ships as Bahamas- and Panama-flagged.
In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, several misleading and misunderstood claims began emerging about the nature of the attack and those who were responsible. Newsweek has examined some of the major narratives.
Houthis, Not Yemen, Are Behind the Attack
Social media posts on TikTok, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, have arguably encouraged the misleading impression that the Yemen's legitimate government, now based in the southern port city of Aden, condoned or initiated what were actions by the Houthis.
While, the Houthi movement took over much of Yemen in 2014, expelling the Saudi-backed government from the capital of Sanaa, its control has not been recognized internationally as a legitimate government.
On March 26, 2015, Saudi Arabia mobilized a coalition of Arab states to launch a joint campaign of economic isolation and airstrikes backed by the U.S. against the Houthis, in support of the embattled Yemeni government that was then headed by Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
But last year, Hadi resigned, leaving the Presidential Leadership Council led by Chairman Rashad al-Alimi in charge of the internationally recognized Yemeni government in Aden.
The Yemeni government released a statement in November to affirm its "absolute rejection of the acts of maritime piracy carried out by the Houthi militias, with the full support of the Iranian regime, in Yemeni territorial waters, which represents a serious threat to maritime navigation and international peace and security.
"These terrorist acts launched by the Houthi militias on behalf of the Iranian regime would deepen the humanitarian crisis for the Yemeni people, and double the economic burdens, insurance and sea freight costs on ships heading to Yemeni ports.
"Such terrorist attacks will serve the interest of foreign powers, including turning territorial waters into a theater of conflict, expanding Israeli influence and armed groups in the region."
Newsweek has reached out to the Republic of Yemen's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates for comment.
Misleading Videos of Other Ship Attacks Posted
As has been the case among other conflicts, including the war in Ukraine and fighting between Israel and Hamas, multiple videos have been posted on social media that were inaccurately attributed to the Sunday attacks.
One example that was widely shared online was of a ship on fire in the sea that some claimed was the Unity Explorer. A post on X by user @TheMuslim786, which was viewed more than 108,000 times, showed the video with the caption: "Yemen bombed the Israeli cargo ship 'Unity Explorer' American military ships and other Western bases came to Djibouti trying to rescue the Israeli cargo ship Unity Explorer, which has now sunk in the Red Sea."
However, the video was quickly debunked and correctly attributed to a 2021 ship fire in Sri Lanka.
No Ships Have Been Sunk
Others have claimed that the vessels attacked in the Red Sea were sunk. One video posted on TikTok by user khlashin27, viewed 68,900 times on December 3, 2023, said: "GREAT YEMEN ARMY. DESRYOYED ISRAEL BRITAIN 2 JOINT CARGO SHIPS IN RED SEA." There is no evidence that the ships were destroyed or sunk by the attack. The video also used footage from the Sri Lanka ship fire that was misused in other social media posts.
A statement by CENTCOM released on December 3 said there was no damage to the USS Carney, that the Unity Explorer reported minor damage and Sophie II reported no significant damage. While the Number 9 vessel was damaged, according to CENTCOM, it did not say, and there have been no reports elsewhere, that it was destroyed or sunk.
Newsweek has reached out to CENTCOM for comment.
Are the Houthis a Terror Group?
The Houthi movement in Yemen has been referred to by some as terrorists, even though the U.S. has not designated the group as such.
As Newsweek previously reported, while the U.S. previously recognized the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, that status was revoked in 2021.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in 2021 that the revocation was intended to help address Yemen's humanitarian crises and "ensure that relevant U.S. policies do not impede assistance.
"This decision is a recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen. We have listened to warnings from the United Nations, humanitarian groups, and bipartisan members of Congress, among others, that the designations could have a devastating impact on Yemenis' access to basic commodities like food and fuel," Blinken said.
"The revocations are intended to ensure that relevant U.S. policies do not impede assistance to those already suffering what has been called the world's worst humanitarian crisis."
However, on November 21, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. was reconsidering its potential terrorist designations following Houthi piracy and attacks.
"In light of the recent targeting of civilians by the Houthis, and now the piracy of a ship in international waters, we have begun a review of potential terrorist designations and we'll be considering other options together with our allies and partners as well," Kirby said.
Newsweek has reached out to a White House representative via email for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
