The United States and allies repelled an attack by the Ansar Allah movement (Houthis) in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, shooting down 15 drones, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on the X social network.
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“The Houthis…conducted a large-scale drone attack in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM and coalition forces identified the expendable UAVs and determined that they posed an imminent threat to merchant ships, U.S. Navy and coalition ships in the region. U.S. Navy ships and aircraft, and numerous ships and aircraft of coalition forces shot down 15 expendable UAVs,” the command statement said.
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The ruling Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement in northern Yemen, which controls most of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, previously warned of its intention to attack any ships linked to Israel, calling on other countries to recall their crews from them and not to approach them at sea. A number of shipping companies have decided to suspend transportation through the Red Sea.
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The Houthis have said their actions in the Red Sea are aimed at helping Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and they have argued that they are not interfering with freedom of navigation in the region. Arab and Muslim countries have repeatedly warned the United States that unconditional support for Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip will lead to the spread of the conflict throughout the region.
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The US and UK have been carrying out strikes on Houthi targets since mid-January, calling it a response to threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of Ansar Allah’s highest political council, called the attacks a terrorist barbarity and deliberate and unjustified aggression.
