Sana’a: The Yemeni Houthi group asserted on Thursday that they have successfully downed a US drone in western Yemen and launched attacks on US Navy ships stationed in the Red Sea, coinciding with heightened US airstrikes in the region.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Houthis released a statement detailing that an MQ-9 drone was brought down by a surface-to-air missile while it was allegedly on ‘hostile’ missions over the coastal province of Al-Hudaydah. This incident marks the second interception of a drone in the past 72 hours and the 17th such occurrence since October 2023.
The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, reported that Houthi forces also targeted the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman along with its supporting warships in the Red Sea, utilizing several cruise missiles and drones. The United States has not yet issued a response to these claims by the Houthis.
Saree further mentioned that the US has carried out over 36 airstrikes across various regions in Yemen, resulting in both fatalities and injuries, though specific numbers were not disclosed.
According to the Houthi-run Health Ministry, US airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 61 civilians and injuries to 139 others since March 15. The escalation follows a statement by US President Donald Trump last month, where he announced the initiation of “decisive and powerful military action” against the Houthis, with subsequent threats to “completely annihilate them.”
The Houthis have been conducting attacks on vessels traversing the Red and Arabian seas, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023. This is in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where over 50,500 individuals have been killed due to an intense Israeli offensive. The group had temporarily ceased attacks following a ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas in January but resumed their operations after recent Israeli airstrikes on Gaza last month.