U.S. defense officials have denied claims by the Yemen-based Houthi militants that the group struck a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea last week.
“There is no truth to the Houthi claim of striking the USS Eisenhower or any U.S. Navy vessel,” U.S. Central Command told VOA. “This is an ongoing disinformation campaign that the Houthis have been conducting for months.”
The Houthi claim followed U.S. and British strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, the latest in a series of attacks targeting the group in response to its campaign threatening vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Iran-backed Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.
Their campaign has disrupted commercial shipping through the important corridor, prompting many companies to reroute ships on the longer and more expensive route around the African continent.
Carla Babb contributed to this report.
