The US Central Command (CENTCOM) declared on Thursday in a statement published in its account on X, formerly Twitter, that its forces had shot down three drones launched from Houthi rebels -controlled areas in Yemen on Wednesday morning and eight drones later the same day.
CENTCOM statement added ““It was determined the UAVs presented an imminent threat to US, coalition, and merchant vessels in the region,” , using the acronym for unmanned aerial vehicles.
Houthis have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November, leading to retaliatory strikes by the United States against Houthi targets in Yemen.
Houthi attacks on vessels passing through the southern Red Sea have choked trade through the Suez Canal, driving many container shipping companies to add 10-14 days to the voyages between Asia and Europe and add more vessels.
The Red Sea crisis has also put plans of some operators to replace aging fleets with newer more fuel-efficient ships on the backburner.