Conflicts & War

US says it thwarted ‘large-scale’ Houthi drone attack in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden

Cairo, Mar 9 (EFE).- The United States has foiled a “large-scale” drone attack by Yemeni Houthi rebels targeting ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Saturday.

In a statement on X, Centcom said “Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists” had conducted “a large-scale uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) attack” between 4am and 6:30am local time.

“Centcom and coalition forces (…) determined that (the drones) presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels, US Navy, and coalition ships in the region,” the statement said.

“US Navy vessels and aircraft along with multiple coalition navy ships and aircraft shot down 15” UAVs, it added.

Centcom reiterated that “these actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.”

The Centcom statement comes hours after Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea postponed the release of a military statement, which he had planned to give before midnight, “due to urgent military developments.”

Since mid-November, Houthi rebels – backed by Iran – have carried out dozens of attacks against ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, as well as towards Israel.

The Yemen-based militants have justified these attacks as a retaliation for Israel’s ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Their operations in the region have intensified in recent weeks following US and British bombing raids on their positions, and after being classified by Washington as a terrorist group.

Top Houthi leader Abdelmalek al Houthi said Thursday that his group has launched a total of 96 ballistic missile and drone strikes against 61 vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea in the past five months, following the start of the escalation in Gaza in early October. EFE

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