US and Britain say their navies shot down 15 attack drones over the Red Sea

News

By Rich Calder

U.S. and British warships on Saturday shot down 15 suspected attack drones over the Red Seas launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen, fending off the latest onslaught by the Iranian-controlled group in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes as the Israel-Hamas war threatened to spread.

The USS Carney, an American destroyer, intercepted 14 drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. They “were shot down with no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries,” U.S. Central Command said.

The British HMS Diamond also destroyed a drone that was “targeting merchant shipping,” said U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps.

He added that attacks on commercial ships by Yemen’s Houthi rebels “represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security.”

“The U.K. remains committed to repelling these attacks to protect the free flow of global trade,” he said in a statement.

Global shipping has become a major target during the war between Israel and Hamas, which like the Houthis is backed by Iran.

With Post wires