CAIRO: US forces successfully thwarted four drones launched from Houthi in Yemen, aiming for a US destroyer in the southern Red Sea.
This incident marks the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since October 17, as reported by US Central Command (CENTCOM).
Houthis, asserting control over much of Yemen, have disrupted global trade by targeting ships passing through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait in response to Israel’s conflict in Gaza.
Two ships under attack, including a Norwegian chemical/oil tanker and an Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, reported distress calls.
Meanwhile, Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes, with no reported impacts on ships. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed an uncrewed aerial system explosion near a vessel in the Bab Al-Mandab Strait. In response, the United States initiated Operation Prosperity Guardian, engaging over a dozen countries in joint patrols near Yemen’s Red Sea waters to counter Houthi disruptions.