US military says it shot down Houthi drone, missiles in two separate Red Sea incidents

A drone and two missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been shot down in two separate incidents over the southern Red Sea yesterday, the US military says.

No injuries or damage was reported by any ships in the busy trade route after the incidents, US Central Command (CENTCOM) says in a social media post.

The Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have launched dozens of drone and missile strikes into the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November, describing their attacks as a campaign of support for Palestinians in Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas.

The drone was shot down during the day, the CENTCOM post says, adding that two other drones had crashed into the water.

Later in the evening, CENTCOM forces “successfully engaged” two anti-ship ballistic missiles over the Red Sea, according to the post.

The missiles “were fired in the direction of USS Gravely and were destroyed in self-defense, with no damage or injuries reported,” it says, referring to a US Navy missile destroyer.

The rebel attacks have prompted reprisal strikes by US and British forces and the formation of an international coalition to protect the vital shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.