The Battle Against Houthi Drones in the Red Sea

In a recent incident in the Red Sea area, U.S., French, and British forces successfully downed dozens of drones that were targeting various ships in the region. This operation came in response to an attack by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on the bulk carrier Propel Fortune and U.S. destroyers. The Houthis have been carrying out such attacks since November as a show of solidarity with Palestinians during the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

According to the group’s military spokesman Yahya Sarea, they targeted the cargo vessel and “a number of U.S. war destroyers at the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 37 drones”. The U.S. Central Command reported that at least 28 uncrewed aerial vehicles were taken down over the Red Sea. Fortunately, no U.S. or Coalition Navy vessels were damaged in the attack, and there were no reports of damage from commercial ships in the area.

French forces also took part in the operation, successfully shooting down four combat drones that were approaching naval vessels of the European Aspides mission. This action directly contributed to protecting the cargo ship True Confidence and other commercial vessels in the vicinity. Similarly, the British Ministry of Defence confirmed that its warship HMS Richmond had joined international allies in repelling a Houthi drone attack overnight, resulting in no injuries or damage.

The attack by the Houthis resulted in the deaths of three seafarers in a missile strike on the Greek-operated True Confidence. These casualties mark the first civilian deaths since the group began targeting ships in the region. Additionally, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an attempted attack on the Singapore-flagged Propel Fortune. Despite two explosions in close proximity to the bulk carrier, all crew members were safe, and the vessel continued to its destination.

UKMTO suggested that Propel Fortune was likely targeted due to outdated U.S. ownership data. Sarea stated that the Houthis would persist with their attacks until the aggression ceases and the siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza comes to an end.

The battle against Houthi drones in the Red Sea highlights the ongoing conflict in the region and the need for international collaboration to defend against such attacks. As maritime trade routes face threats from various groups, the response from U.S., French, and British forces serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting commercial vessels and ensuring the safety of crews at sea.