Yesterday, Tuesday, the US Central Command announced the destruction of 12 attack drones, and 3 ballistic missiles and guided cruise missiles launched by the Houthis towards cargo ships in the Red Sea.
This came according to a statement by the US Naval Forces Central Command (Centcom) on the X platform, which explained that the operation lasted for about 10 hours, during which 12 drones, 3 ballistic missiles, and two guided missiles were shot down.
The US Central Command explained that no damage occurred to ships in that area, and no casualties were recorded.
This American statement comes in conjunction with the Yemeni Houthi group’s announcement earlier yesterday, Tuesday, that it targeted the “MSC United” commercial ship in the Red Sea using “appropriate missiles,” and also targeted “military sites” in southern Israel using drones.
For its part, the Israeli army confirmed that one of its fighter planes succeeded in intercepting a hostile air target in the Red Sea region on Tuesday, which was on its way to Israeli territory.
This latest attack represents part of a series of missile and drone attacks carried out by the Houthis since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7.
For its part, the Houthi group threatened several times to attack ships operated by Israeli companies, stressing that this comes within the framework of their solidarity with Palestine. The group also called on countries to withdraw their citizens working on the crews of these ships.
Hearing explosions and seeing missiles
Earlier yesterday, Tuesday, the British Maritime Trade Operations Authority announced that “explosions were heard and missiles were seen” near the port of Hodeidah on the western coast of Yemen, and indicated that the ship that was sailing in that area and its crew were fine.
The ship later completed its voyage without reporting any damage or injuries among its crew members, according to the statement issued by the British Authority. This came after two other explosions occurred earlier Tuesday near another ship off the port of Hodeidah, according to a report by the British Maritime Agency.
Explosions were also heard off the southern coast of the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula on Tuesday, according to reports from a channel close to the government, and eyewitnesses reported that they spotted an object falling into the Gulf of Aqaba.
Cairo News Channel reported that the explosions occurred approximately two kilometers from the city of Dahab, located on the Egyptian coast.
An international coalition to deter Houthi attacks
According to the Pentagon, the Houthis carried out more than 100 attacks using drones and missiles, targeting 10 commercial ships belonging to more than 35 countries.
These ongoing attacks pose a threat to the sea lane, which transports up to 12% of global trade. These attacks prompted the United States to establish a multinational naval force to protect shipping operations in the Red Sea.
On December 18, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced an initiative to form a coalition of 10 countries under the name “Guardian of Prosperity” to “deter attacks in the Red Sea.”
