Yemen’s Houthi group, Ansar Allah, announced that it carried out two significant military operations. The first targeted the American ship “PROPEL FORTUNE” in the Gulf of Aden with several suitable sea missiles, while the second operation targeted a number of American warships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden using thirty-seven drones, successfully achieving their objectives.
In a statement released Saturday morning, the group saluted the Yemeni armed forces and all Yemeni citizens for their massive turnout in the capital, Sana’a, and other provinces and districts, reaffirming their steadfast support for the Palestinian people. The statement emphasized that their armed forces would continue military operations in the Red and Arabian Seas until the aggression ceases and the blockade on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted.
Meanwhile, the US military announced on Saturday that its forces managed to shoot down 15 one-way drones launched by the Houthis in a widespread attack in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated in a press release, broadcasted by Alhurra TV, that between 4 am and 6:30 am Sana’a time, the Houthis launched a widespread attack using unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM and coalition forces identified these one-way drones (OWA) as an imminent threat to commercial ships and US and coalition naval vessels in the region and managed to shoot down 15 of them.
The statement clarified that these actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and to make international waters safer in the Red Sea region, through which 12% of global trade passes. This comes after CENTCOM earlier announced that US forces conducted a self-defense strike targeting two anti-ship missiles in Houthi-controlled areas, noting that the missiles were mounted on a Houthi truck.
The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, which are a direct response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, have escalated tensions and raised concerns over global trade disruptions and maritime security. The UN Security Council has addressed the situation, emphasizing the need for measures to ensure safety at sea and the continuation of the peace process in Yemen. France, in particular, has taken action to protect commercial ships in the region, highlighting the collective responsibility to avoid further escalation.
Despite the US-led efforts to counter these attacks, the Houthis have vowed to continue their military operations until Israel’s actions in Gaza cease and the blockade on the Palestinian people is lifted. The Houthis assert that their attacks are a response to Israeli “crimes” in Gaza and have indicated that they will confront any coalition forces in the Red Sea.
