Key Takeaways
- The US military shot down 5 drones over the Red Sea due to an imminent threat to US and allied vessels.
- The drones were launched by Yemen’s rebel Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis.
- The US formed a multinational coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea region in response to the Houthi attacks.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Monday that the US military destroyed five drones over the Red Sea, posing a threat to US and allied vessels.
“Between 1:48 and 2:27 a.m. (Sanaa time) [22:48 – 23:27 GMT], April 28, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) successfully engaged five airborne unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Red Sea. It was determined the UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region,” the command said on X.
Yemen’s rebel Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, has been launching attacks on commercial and military vessels in the region for months, in response to Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. The attacks prompted the United States to form a multinational coalition to protect shipping in the area, as well as to strike Houthi targets on the ground.
