The U.S. military reported Sunday destroying two aerial drones in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, saying the aircraft posed a threat to vessels in the region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that its forces shot down one of the drones over the Red Sea, and that the other was destroyed on the ground where it was ready to launch.
Both of the drones were destroyed Saturday.
“These actions are necessary to protect our forces, ensure freedom of navigation, and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels,” CENTCOM said.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency did not report any threats against vessels in the region at the time.
The Houthis have carried out numerous attacks against vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in recent months, saying their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The attacks have led many commercial shipping companies to reroute their vessels away from the area, opting instead to use the much longer and more expensive route of going around the African continent.