The United States and United Kingdom authorities say their warships have shot down 15 attack drones over the Red Sea as Israel’s war on Gaza threatens to spread in the region.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Saturday said its guided-missile destroyer responded to a wave of drones from “Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen” over the Red Sea, downing 14 suspected attack drones.
It described the launches as “one-way attack drones”, saying they were “shot down with no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries”.
UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps also said the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond fired a Sea Viper missile and destroyed a drone that was “targeting merchant shipping”.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said the group attacked the Israeli city of Eilat on Saturday with a swarm of drones, according to spokesman Yahya Sarea who referred to the Red Sea resort city as being in “southern occupied Palestine”.
The Houthis have promised to continue their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, to pressure Israel to stop its attacks on Gaza.
Upping a previous pledge to attack any Israeli-linked ships, the Houthis have said that any ship heading to and from Israel in the waters off Yemen would be targeted.
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