Page 3 - Us Navy

Houthis claim warship attack, US official refutes, citing lack of evidence

Yemen's Houthi rebels said they attacked a US Navy mobile base at sea Monday without offering evidence, something immediately rejected by an American defense official. The claimed attack targeted the USS Lewis B Puller, a ship that serves as a floating landing base. The Puller had been earlier stationed in the Arabian Sea as part of American efforts to curtail Houthi attacks on commercial shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Houthi military spokesperson Brig Gen Yahya Saree said in a statement it fired a missile at the Puller in the Gulf of Aden. He offered no evidence. Houthi attacks will continue until the aggression is stopped, and the siege is lifted on the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip, Saree said in the statement. A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said there had been no reported attack on the Puller. However, the Houthis have previously launched missiles that did not reach their intended target, instea

No links with drone strike in Jordan that killed US soldiers: Iran

The attack is a major escalation of the already tense situation in the Middle East, where war broke out in Gaza after an attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel on Oct

Two US Navy SEALs missing after Thursday night mission off Somalia's coast

Two US Navy SEALs are missing after conducting a nighttime boarding mission off the coast of Somalia, according to a US official. The mission was not related to Operation Prosperity Guardian, the ongoing US and international mission to provide protection to commercial vessels in the Red Sea, or the retaliatory strikes that the United States and the United Kingdom have conducted in Yemen over the past two days, the official said on Saturday. The operation the missing SEALs were conducting was also unrelated with the St. Nikolas, which is the oil tanker seized by Iran, according to a US official. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not yet been made public. Besides the defense of ships from launched drones and missiles shot from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the US military has also come to the aid of commercial ships that have been the targets of piracy. In a statement on Saturday, US Central Command said that search and rescue operatio

US, UK strike Yemen to counter Houthi attacks; Tesla, Volvo halt production

A US official said more than a dozen locations were targeted in strikes that were not just symbolic but intended to weaken the Houthis' military capabilities

Houthis show no sign of ending Red Sea attacks as trade traffic up: US Navy

Yemen's Houthi rebels show no signs of ending their reckless attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, the top commander of US naval forces in the Middle East said on Saturday, even as more nations join the international maritime mission to protect vessels in the vital waterway and trade traffic begins to pick up. Since Operation Prosperity Guardian was announced just over 10 days ago, 1,200 merchant ships have travelled through the Red Sea region, and none has been hit by drone or missile strikes, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said in an Associated Press interview. He said additional countries are expected to sign on. Denmark was the latest, announcing on Friday it plans to send a frigate to the mission that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced during a visit to Bahrain, where the Navy's 5th Fleet is based, saying that this is an international challenge that demands collective action. The narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and then the Suez Canal. Th

US military space plane embarks on another mission expected to last years

The US military's X-37B space plane blasted off Thursday on another secretive mission that is expected to last at least a couple of years. Like previous missions, the reusable plane resembling a mini space shuttle carried classified experiments. There's no one on board. The space plane took off aboard SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at night, more than two weeks late because of technical issues. It marked the seventh flight of an X-37B, which has logged more than 10 years in orbit since its debut in 2010. The last flight, the longest one yet, lasted 2 1/2 years before ending on a runway at Kennedy a year ago. Space Force officials would not say how long this orbital test vehicle would remain aloft or what's on board other than a NASA experiment to gauge the effects of radiation on materials. Built by Boeing, the X-37B resembles NASA's retired space shuttles. But they're just one-fourth the size at 29 feet (9 metres) long. No astronauts are needed; th

Can a US-led naval force protect ships, oil in Red Sea, Persian Gulf?

In recent weeks, the Houthis have conducted an escalating series of attacks against merchant shipping using drones, ballistic missiles and commandos on helicopters and speedboats

US Navy ship 'illegally intruded' South China Sea waters, says PLA

The Chinese military said that an American naval ship had illegally intruded on Monday into waters near the Second Thomas Shoal, the site of a hot territorial dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. A Chinese naval force was mobilized to track the USS Gabrielle Giffords during the operation, according to a statement from the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater. The U.S. Navy did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Chinese and Philippine naval and coast guard ships have confronted each other repeatedly around the Second Thomas Shoal in recent months as China tries to prevent the Philippines from resupplying and repairing a rusting warship that it intentionally ran aground in 1999 to serve as a military outpost. Dwarfed by China's military might, the Philippines has sought America's help, agreeing to an expansion of the U.S. military presence in the country earlier this year and launching joint sea and air patrols with the United States la

US Navy shoots down drone launched by Houthis from Yemen, says official

A US Navy warship sailing near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shot down a drone launched from Yemen, a US official said on Wednesday, in the latest in a string of threats from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The official said according to initial reports, USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, deemed the drone an Iranian-made KAS-04 to be a threat and shot it down over water in the southern Red Sea as the ship was moving toward the strait. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation not yet made public. The Wednesday shootdown comes a day after a Iranian drone flew within 1,500 yards of the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier as it was conducting flight operations in international waters in the Arabian Gulf. Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Naval Forces Central Command, said the drone violated safety precautions by not staying more than 10 nautical miles from the ship. The drone ignored multiple warnings but eventually turned away. Earlier this mo

US Navy warship in Red Sea intercepts 3 missiles heading north out of Yemen

A US Navy warship on Thursday took out three missiles that had been fired from Yemen and were heading north, US officials said. The officials said the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, was in the Red Sea and intercepted the three missiles. It wasn't immediately certain if they were aimed at Israel. One of the officials said the US does not believe the missiles were aimed at the ship. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations not yet announced. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have expressed support for the Palestinians and threatened Israel. Last week, in Yemen's Sanaa, which is held by the Houthi rebels still at war with a Saudi-led coalition, demonstrators crowded the streets waving Yemeni and Palestinian flags. The rebels' slogan long has been, God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse of the Jews; victory to Islam. Last week, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, the rebel group's leader, warned the United States against intervening in the ongoin

More US ships sail toward Israel, 2,000 troops on heightened alert

Within hours of the horrific October 7 attack by Hamas, the US began moving warships and aircraft to the region to be ready to provide Israel with whatever it needed to respond. On Tuesday, more ships and forces were heading toward Israel, and other troops in the US were preparing to deploy if called on. One US aircraft carrier and its strike group are already in the eastern Mediterranean and a second one has left the US and is heading that way. In addition, three Marine warships are moving into the region. Scores of aircraft were dispatched to US military bases around the Middle East, and American special operations forces are working with Israel's military in planning and intelligence. As of Tuesday, five shipments of US weapons and equipment had arrived in Israel. The buildup reflects growing US concern that the deadly fighting between Hamas and Israel will escalate into wider regional conflict. So the key mission for American ships and warplanes is to establish a large and vis

US, Indian navies complete week-long anti-submarine warfare training

The navies of India and the United States completed a week-long joint exercise focused on improving the interoperability in maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare, an official said on Wednesday. The 'Tridents' of the patrol squadron VP-26 based out of Florida, the United States, along with the 'Albatross' of the Indian Naval Air Squadron 312 took part in combined anti-submarine warfare. A VP-26 P-8A Poseidon aircraft of the 'Tridents' and a P-8I Poseidon aircraft of the Indian Naval Air Squadron participated in the week-long programme. "The subject matter expert exchange focused on improving interoperability between the two navies' maritime patrol and reconnaissance forces. It included training on anti-submarine warfare and information sharing on specific maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean," an official release said here. The two squadrons participated in flying and non-flying activities, which included discussions on operational planning, maintenance training, and logisti

Chinese coast guard blocks Philippine vessels near disputed shoal

As a US Navy plane circled overhead, two Philippine boats breached a Chinese coast guard blockade in a dangerous confrontation in the disputed South China Sea to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces guarding a contested shoal. Two Philippine coast guard vessels escorting the supply boats, however, were blocked by at least four Chinese coast guard ships for about five hours Tuesday in a tense standoff off Second Thomas Shoal. The dangerous encounter is the latest flare-up from the long-seething territorial disputes in the busy sea that involve China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. It's regarded as an Asian flashpoint and has become a delicate fault line in the US-China rivalry. The Philippine coast guard invited a small group of journalists, including two from The Associated Press, to join its ships that secured the supply boats as part of a new strategy aimed at exposing China's increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea, which Beiji

Ships, sub, aircraft: 4-nation naval wargame Exercise Malabar concludes

The exercise was conducted in two phases - a harbour (or planning) phase from August 11-15, and a sea phase from August 16-21

Two US sailors arrested for spying for China

Two US Navy members have been arrested for suspected espionage for China. The men allegedly sold secret military data to Beijing. Watch the video to know more.

USS Stethem conducts cooperative deployment with Indian Navy in Goa

The USA's Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) conducted a Cooperative Deployment (CODEP) with the Indian Navy following the ship's port visit to Goa, officials said on Wednesday. The US Navy destroyer worked with the Indian Navy frigate INS Tarkash (F-50), and the operations focused on building interoperability and strengthening relationships through manoeuvering and communication exercises on Tuesday, a media statement released here said. US Consul General in Mumbai Mike Hankey said the port visit reinforces President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to an Indo-Pacific region built on shared values and principles "as we strengthen the relationship between our two countries." He said the US recognises and values India's role and leadership in the Indo-Pacific region at large. "Working in concert with India, we will advance the rules-based order and maintain peace and stability in the region, he added. Stethem Sailors greatly enj

L&T signs Master Ship Repair Agreement with US Navy, to boost Indo-US bond

L&T's Kattupalli Shipyard, near Chennai, a major node in the Southern Defence Corridor, has been undertaking voyage repairs of the Military Sealift Command vessels, the firm said in a statement

US Navy ship Salvor arrives at L&T Kattupalli shipyard for repairs

Rescue and salvage ship USNS Salvor reached the Larsen and Toubro's Kattupalli Shipyard near Chennai after the signing of the five-year Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) between the US Navy and L&T

Indian, US navies conduct 11-day exercise to boost interoperability

The navies of India and the US carried out a 11-day military exercise in Kochi that focused on boosting interoperability and operational coordination. The seventh edition of the Salvage and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) exercise concludes on Thursday, the Indian Navy said. The two navies have been participating in joint salvage and EOD exercises since 2005. The exercise saw deployment of frontline warships from both sides in addition to specialist diving and EOD teams. "The diving teams of both the countries shared experiences on maritime salvage and trained together in various facets of EOD operations on land as well at sea," the Indian Navy said in a statement. It said the exercise also saw the conduct of joint training exercises towards enhancing interoperability, cohesiveness and gaining from best practices in maritime salvage and EOD operations. "The constructive engagements on operational terms enhanced the skill-sets of the diving teams in a number of diverse disciplin

US Navy hobbled by failures as the risk of conflict with China looms

"Potential adversaries, most notably China and Russia, have developed and enhanced their own capabilities," said the Government Accountability Office's military readiness director