US and UK Navies shoot down 21 drones and missiles fired by Houthi rebels in major Red Sea clash

This is militant group’s 26th strike on global maritime routes within past seven weeks

The US and UK Navies said they intercepted 21 drones and missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the southern Red Sea on Wednesday.

This marks the 26th assault by the rebel group on global maritime trade routes within the past seven weeks.

The US military’s Central Command, along with forces from the UK, claimed they shot down 18 drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile fired by the Houthi rebels.

This attack comes even as the United Nations Security Council is all set to vote on 10 January to decide on a resolution condemning and urging an immediate cessation of Yemen’s Houthi rebels’ assaults on merchant and commercial ships in the Red Sea region.

The draft resolution, according to the Associated Press, says Houthi attacks are impeding global commerce “and undermine navigational rights and freedoms as well as regional peace and security”.

The proposed resolution aims to call for the immediate release of the Galaxy Leader, the initial vessel targeted by the Houthis. This Japanese-operated cargo ship, connected to an Israeli company, was seized along with its crew in November.

In a statement on Wednesday, the US Central Command said: “Iranian-backed Huthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs… anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Southern Red Sea.”

Meanwhile, the attack occurred off the Yemeni port cities of Hodeida and Mokha, according to a private intelligence firm Ambrey.

In the Hodeida incident, Ambrey stated that ships communicated over radio witnessing missiles and drones, prompting US-allied warships in the vicinity to advise vessels to proceed at maximum speed.

Off Mokha, ships observed missile firings, a drone in the air, and small vessels trailing them, according to Ambrey’s early Wednesday report. The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations [UKTMO] of the British military also confirmed the incident off Hodeida.

The US Central Command, however, said that “there were no injuries or damage reported”.

The UKTMO said: “Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.”

The Iran-backed militant group has claimed that the attacks in the Red Sea are in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza. At least 23,210 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its assault on 7 October. The Houthis have said that they intend to continue with their attacks until Israel ceases its war in Gaza.

Additional reporting with agencies