2024-01-10T10:10:08+00:00
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/ The US military command in the Middle East, Centcom, announced on Wednesday that US and British forces repelled the largest attack launched by the Houthis so far on international shipping routes in the Red Sea.
Centcom said in a statement reported by Agence France-Presse that its forces shot down 18 explosive drones, two winged missiles and a ballistic missile, launched by the Houthis yesterday evening, Tuesday, in an attack that did not result in injuries or damage.
She added, “The Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack with Iranian-designed unidirectional attack drones, anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile, from areas controlled by the Houthis in Yemen towards the southern Red Sea.”
She explained that confronting this new Houthi attack was undertaken by F-18 fighters that took off from the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower, three American destroyers and one British destroyer.
For weeks, the Houthis have launched attacks with drones and missiles on ships they consider to be linked to Israel or headed to Israeli ports.
The Houthis are launching these attacks near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea.
The Houthis say they are launching these attacks to pressure Israel to stop the war in Gaza.
But these attacks endangered the waterway through which up to 12% of global trade is transported.
This situation prompted the United States to form a multinational naval force to protect maritime traffic in the Red Sea.