U.S. And U.K. Navies Shoot Down Massive Barrage Of Houthi Launched Drones And Missiles Over Red Sea

The U.S. and U.K. navies were able to successfully thwart one of the largest attacks on Red Sea shipping launched by the Houthi Rebels in the the past few months.

KEY FACTS
The U.S. military’s Central Command said the “complex attack” included Iranian one-way attack (or kamikaze) drones, anti-ship cruise missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.

F/A-18 fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and several U.S. and British Navy destroyers responded to the launches and were able to shoot down 18 drones, two cruise missiles and one ballistic missile.

The attack took place at around 9.15 p.m. local time on Tuesday and CENTCOM said no injuries or damages were reported from the attack..

The Royal Navy-operated United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKTMO) said the incident took place 50 nautical miles west of the Yemeni port city of Al-Hudaydah, as it urged all vessels in the region to “transit with caution.”

BIG NUMBER
26. That is the number of attacks the Iran-backed rebels have launched against both military and commercial shipping in the Red Sea since November 19, CENTCOM said.

KEY BACKGROUND
Tuesday’s attack comes more than a week after the U.S. and its allies issued a stern warning to the Houthis, telling them to cease their attacks and release all crews detained by them. “Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing…These attacks threaten innocent lives from all over the world and constitute a significant international problem that demands collective action,” the joint statement said. The statement added that the Iran-backed militia group would “bear the responsibility of the consequence” if the attacks continued. Ignoring the warning, the Houthi launched another attack just hours later, with a sea drone coming within miles of the U.S. Navy and commercial ships in the Red Sea.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The UN Security Council is set to vote Wednesday on a resolution condemning the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and demanding an immediate halt. According to the Associated Press, the final draft of the U.S.-backed resolution seeks to affirm that freedom of navigation for commercial vessels must be respected. The passage of the measure will likely depend on Russia’s stance on the matter and whether it chooses to use its veto.


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