Red Sea crisis: US-led coalition shoots down 15 drones fired by Yemen’s Houthis

United States Navy vessels and aircraft successfully intercepted and destroyed 15 drones launched by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis in the Red Sea region.

This was one of the largest assaults orchestrated by the Houthis since they initiated a campaign of drone and missile strikes against ships in the Red Sea area back in November.

The US Central Command, or CENTCOM, said the “large-scale” Houthi attack occurred before dawn in the Red Sea and adjacent Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM and coalition forces determined that the drones “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels, US Navy and coalition ships in the region”.

It added, in a post on social media platform X, that “US Navy vessels and aircraft along with multiple coalition navy ships and aircraft shot down 15” of the drones. “These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.”

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US and Coalition Defeat Houthi Attack in Red Sea Area

Between 4 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists conducted a large-scale uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) attack into the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM and coalition forces identified the one-way… pic.twitter.com/PJag5PYUfZ

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 9, 2024

On January 9, US and British forces shot down 18 drones and three missiles fired by the rebels toward ships in the Red Sea, the US military said at the time.

Britain said it was the largest attack to that point by the Houthis.

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The United States in December announced a maritime security initiative to protect Red Sea shipping from Houthi attacks, which have forced commercial vessels to divert from the route that normally carries 12 per cent of global trade.

Since January the United States and Britain have also launched repeated strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the ship attacks, but the rebels have continued to attack merchant vessels and have also targeted American and British ships.

With inputs from agencies.