US Navy shoots down 15 UAVs in the Red Sea area, Houthi declares to stop attacks only when fighting in Gaza ends

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the US Navy shot down 15 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched by Yemen's Houthi forces to attack US and allied targets in the Red Sea early on the morning of March 9.

Supporters of the Houthi forces gathered in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on March 8, 2024, to express their support for the Palestinians. (Source: AFP)

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said US Navy ships and aircraft shot down 15 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of Houthi forces in Yemen while these UAVs may have been targeting US and allied targets in the Red Sea area early on March 9.

On its X website (formerly known as Twitter), CENTCOM said the military was responding to a large-scale attack by "Iran-backed Houthi forces" in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between 4:00 and 6:30 a.m. local time.

According to CENTCOM, the UAVs were identified as "an imminent threat to merchant vessels, US Navy and coalition vessels in the region".

Houthi forces have carried out missile and drone attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea since mid-November last year, saying they were in protest against Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

The attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing some shipping lines to divert shipments to longer routes around southern Africa, leading to higher costs. It has also raised concerns that the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip could spill over into further instability in the Middle East.

Last month, the US and UK, with the support of some partners, began striking Houthi targets in Yemen to pressure the Houthis to stop attacks in the Red Sea.

On February 27, the Houthis announced that they would only reconsider attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea after Israel stopped attacking Gaza.

Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam stressed that activities to help Palestinians are not enough for the Houthis to stop attacking the Red Sea. Instead, the Houthis will only stop attacking if Israel ends its military campaign and siege of the Gaza Strip.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hai-quan-my-ban-ha-15-uav-o-khu-vuc-bien-do-houthi-tuyen-bo-chi-dung-tan-cong-khi-cham-dut-chien-su-o-gaza-263598.html