Container ship, Safeen Pride, bound for “HODEIDAH (ARMED GUARDS)” appeared at sea on 17 January 2024 in Djibouti, Djibouti.
Luke Dray | Getty Images
US, French and British forces shot down dozens of drones in the Red Sea region overnight and on Saturday after Yemen aligned itself with Iran Houthi targeted the bulk carrier Propel Fortune and US destroyers in the area, the US military said in a statement.
The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in a campaign of solidarity with the Palestinians during Israel’s war against Hamas in Gauze.
The group’s military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised address on Saturday that they had targeted the cargo ship and “a number of US warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 37 drones”.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the US military and coalition forces shot down at least 28 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the Red Sea in the early hours of Saturday.
“No US Navy or Coalition vessels were damaged in the attack, and there were also no reports of damage from commercial vessels,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Earlier Saturday, CENTCOM said the military was responding to a large-scale attack on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between 4 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. (0100-0330 GMT).
The UAVs were intended to present “a direct threat to merchant ships, US Navy and coalition ships in the area,” it said in a post on social media platform X.
Telecast speech by Yemeni Houthi Representative Yahya Sare’e on March 4, 2024, in Sana’a, Yemen.
Mohammed Hammoud | News Getty Images | Getty Images
A French warship and fighter jets also shot down four fighter drones that were moving towards naval vessels belonging to the European Aspides mission in the area, a French military statement said.
“This defensive action directly contributed to the protection of the Barbados-flagged cargo ship True Confidence, which was struck on March 6 and is being towed, as well as other commercial vessels transiting the area,” it said.
France has a warship in the region as well as warplanes at its bases in Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates.
Drone attack
Britain’s Ministry of Defense said its warship HMS Richmond joined international allies in repelling a Houthi drone attack overnight, saying there were no injuries or damage.
“Last night, HMS Richmond used Sea Ceptor missiles to shoot down two attack drones – successfully repelling yet another illegal attack by the Iranian-backed Houthis,” Defense Secretary Grant Shapps told X.
“The UK and our allies will continue to take the necessary steps to save lives and protect freedom of navigation.”
On Wednesday, three sailors were killed in a Houthi missile attack on the Greek-owned True Confidence, the first civilian casualties since the group began its attacks on the main shipping lane.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also confirmed that there was an attempted attack on the Singapore-flagged Propel Fortune.
He said the shipping company reported two explosions in close proximity to the bulk carrier, but all crew were safe and the ship was proceeding to its next port.
“According to sources, Propel Fortune was likely targeted due to outdated US ownership data,” UKMTO said in a statement.
Sharea said the Houthis would continue their attacks “until the aggression stops and the siege of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted.”