The US Navy shot down four drones heading towards a US destroyer in the southern Red Sea and launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday.
“This is the 14th and 15th attack by Houthi militants on commercial shipping since October 17,” CENTCOM said in a statement on the X website.
Iran’s Houthi militants, who control much of Yemen, have been crippling international trade for weeks by attacking ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
According to the Houthis, this is their response to Israel’s war against Hamas.
US Naval Forces Central Command responded to distress calls from two ships that were under attack, CENTCOM said.
The Norwegian-flagged vessel Blaamanen said it almost fell victim to a Houthi drone attack. In addition, an Indian-flagged oil tanker owned by Gabon reported being attacked, CENTCOM noted on X.
The Indian tanker was sailing ahead of the Norwegian vessel when it was attacked by drones, Blaamanen operator Hansa Tankers said in a statement on Sunday. The statement also indicated that two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were “fired into international shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.”
A few days ago, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, noting that more than a dozen countries have agreed to participate in the operation, which involves joint patrols in the waters of the Red Sea near Yemen.
