US says it shot down Houthi drone and missile in Red Sea Folha de Pernambuco

Katrina Parker/US NAVY VISUAL NEWS SERVICE/AFP An American warship shot down a drone and missile fired by Houthi rebels

A US warship shot down a drone and a ballistic missile in the Red Sea this Thursday (28) from Yemen's Houthi rebels backed by Iran, the American army said.

The Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships on the key Red Sea shipping route in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is fighting the Hamas group.

“The USS Mason [DDG 87] “Downed a drone and a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea,” US Central Command (Centcom) reported. “There was no damage to any of the 18 vessels in the area and there were no reports of injuries.”

According to Central Command, this was the Houthis' 22nd attempted attack on international shipping since midOctober. The attacks threaten a route that carries up to 12% of global trade and prompted Washington to build a multinational naval force to protect shipping in the Red Sea.

The Houthis say they are attacking Israel and ships linked to that country to push for an end to the Gaza offensive.