US destroys aerial, seaborne Houthi drones as Red Sea attacks continue

WASHINGTON

US forces destroyed two drones near the Red Sea on Thursday amid continued attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels and retaliatory strikes from American and allied militaries.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said an aerial drone was downed over the Gulf of Aden, which sits between the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, around 5 a.m. local time (0200 GMT). No injuries were reported.

Roughly five hours later, a naval drone was seen heading towards international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and was fired upon after US forces "determined it presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region," resulting in what CENTCOM called "significant secondary explosions."

The drone attacks were followed by the launches of two anti-ship ballistic missiles that were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. CENTCOM said they were likely targeting the M/V Koi, a Liberian-flagged container ship, but hit the water without striking the ship. No injuries or damage were reported.

"U.S. Central Command’s actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels," it said in a statement.

Yemen’s Houthis have been targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea, particularly those bound for Israel, since November. They say their attacks aim to put pressure on Israel to halt its deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip, prompting the US and UK to launch retaliatory airstrikes on targets inside Yemen beginning in January.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments. It allows ships to travel between Europe and Asia to avoid the much longer and costlier naval route around the southern tip of Africa by transiting through Egypt's Suez Canal instead.

Earlier Thursday morning, US forces struck a Houthi drone ground control station and 10 Houthi suicide drones.