US and UK forces intercepted and destroyed a total of 21 drones and missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels, said the Central Command of the United States military. This marks the 26th attack within seven weeks by the Houthi rebels on international shipping routes, specifically targeting the southern Red Sea.

The US Central Command, collaborating with UK forces, reported shooting down 18 drones along with two anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile. The attack, as per US Central Command's statement on Wednesday, involved a sophisticated assault utilizing Iranian-designed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles launched from Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen into the Southern Red Sea. These assaults began on November 19 when the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier traveling from Turkey to India, was hijacked by the Iran-aligned group.

The Houthi rebels claimed they initiated these attacks in protest against Israel's actions in Gaza. In response, US Central Command deployed fighter jets from the Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier and four destroyers, including one from the UK, for this operation. Fortunately, no injuries or damages were reported from these encounters.

To address these repeated attacks, the US established an international maritime coalition the previous month. These assaults have forced some shipping lines to opt for longer routes around southern Africa, bypassing the Red Sea entirely. The Houthis affirmed their intention to persist with these attacks until Israel ceases its actions in Gaza.

The US Central Command confirmed that US forces had recently intercepted a drone launched from Yemen, while Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US naval forces in the Middle East, highlighted an incident where the Houthis used an explosives-laden sea drone in shipping lanes last week. This marked the first instance of such a weapon being utilized in the ongoing conflict.

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