US engages 5 UAVs over Red Sea

‘It was determined that the UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region,’ says CENTCOM

The US successfully engaged five unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the Red Sea on Sunday, said the United States Central Command (CENTCOM).

“It was determined that the UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition and merchant vessels in the region,” CENTCOM said on X, without saying who launched the UAVs.

The actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US, coalition and merchant vessels, it added.

Yemen’s Houthi group has been targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7 last year.

The Red Sea is one of the world’s most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently announced the creation of a multinational mission, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to counter the Houthi attacks.