US, French militaries down Houthi drones after attack on warships

Cairo, March 9

American and French forces downed dozens of drones in the Red Sea on Saturday after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis targeted bulk carrier Propel Fortune and US destroyers in the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, said in a televised speech on Saturday they targeted the cargo vessel and “a number of US war destroyers at the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 37 drones”. US Navy ships and aircraft shot down 15 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the Houthis in the Red Sea area, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said earlier on Saturday.

The military was responding to a large-scale attack the group launched into the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between 4 am and 6.30 am (1300-1530 GMT), CENTCOM said in a post on X.

The UAVs were determined to present “an imminent threat to merchant vessels, US Navy, and coalition ships in the region”, it said.

A French warship and fighter jets also shot down four combat drones that were advancing towards naval vessels belonging to the European Aspides mission in the region, a French army statement said.

France has a warship in the area as well as warplanes at its bases in Djibouti and the UAE. Three seafarers were killed on Wednesday in a missile strike by the Houthis on the Greek-operated True Confidence, the first civilian casualties since the group started its attacks on the key shipping route.

In Rafah, Israel struck one of the largest residential towers in the southern Gaza Strip, residents said, stepping up pressure on the last area of the enclave it has not yet invaded and where over a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The 12-floor building, located some 500 metres from the border with Egypt, was damaged in the strike. Israel gave residents 30 minutes to flee the building before the strike, residents said. Dozens of families were made homeless though no casualties were reported, according to residents. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incident. — Reuters

31,000 dead so far

Five months into Israel’s unrelenting air and ground assault on Gaza, health authorities say nearly 31,000 Palestinians have been killed, over 72,500 wounded and thousands trapped under rubble.