U.S. military says intercepted 3 Houthi drones

SANAA, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) — The U.S. Central Command on Friday said its naval forces in the Red Sea had intercepted three bomb-laden drones launched by the Houthi group in Yemen.
“In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command forces successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Red Sea and one UAV in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen,” it said in a post on the social media platform X.
“It was determined these UAVs presented a clear and imminent threat to the U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” it added.
Early on Friday, the Houthi group claimed responsibility for attacking a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden and the Greek-flagged MV SOUNION oil tanker in the Red Sea, using missiles, boats and drones.
Since November last year, the Houthis have been targeting Israeli-linked ships to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
In response, the U.S.-British naval coalition stationed in the waters has conducted regular air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets since January to deter the group. ■