The United States will send a warship and fighter jets to the Gulf, officials said on Wednesday, after a series of missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels left three dead in the UAE.
The UAE Ministry of Defense on Wednesday night announced the interception and that penetrated UAE airspace.
The deployment, to “assist the UAE against the current threat”, follows a phone call between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the US embassy in the UAE said.
According to the embassy, the USS Cole guided missile destroyer will partner with the UAE Navy, while the US will also deploy fifth-generation warplanes. Other actions include “continuing to provide early warning intelligence (and) collaborating on air defense”, the embassy said.
Austin and Sheikh Mohamed “discussed the recent Huthi attacks against the UAE that caused civilian casualties and also threatened US and Emirati armed forces stationed at Al Dhafra air base”, the embassy added.
