The US military reported the downing of at least 28 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the Red Sea early on Saturday.
Acting in conjunction with coalition forces, the US took action in response to what they described as a “large-scale” attack posing an immediate threat to merchant vessels.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting a commercial ship, the Propel Fortune, along with several US destroyers.
According to a statement from the US Central Command, no military vessels belonging to the US or its coalition partners were damaged, and there were no reports of damage from commercial ships.
Since November, the Houthis have been conducting attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing solidarity with Palestinians during the conflict in Gaza.
UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps announced that the Royal Navy frigate HMS Richmond had downed two drones launched by the Houthis on Friday night.
Shapps emphasized that the UK and its allies would continue taking necessary action to safeguard lives and ensure freedom of navigation.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that the Type 23 frigate, along with international partners, successfully repelled a Houthi drone attack without any injuries or damage.
In a separate incident, a French warship and fighter jets intercepted and shot down four drones targeting a European naval mission and a cargo ship being towed in the Gulf of Aden.
The mission was protecting the cargo ship True Confidence, which had been struck by a missile on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of three sailors, the first fatalities since the Houthis initiated their attacks.
The recent surge in attacks by the Houthis has led to ships diverting around southern Africa instead of using the Suez Canal, resulting in increased costs and posing a potential global economic risk.
Despite repeated strikes by the US and UK against Houthi-linked sites, the threat to shipping appears to persist unabated.
