ATHENS (Reuters) – The EU’s naval mission in the southern Red Sea said it had destroyed three ballistic missiles and a Houthi seaborne drone to protect merchant ships.
The EU’s mission, known as Aspides, said on social media platform X that a French worship had destroyed the ballistic missiles and a German destroyed the drone, operated by the Iran-aligned Houthis and spotted near commercial vessels.
Aspides was launched in February to help protect the key maritime trade route from drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militia, who say they are retaliating against Israel’s war on Gaza. Other countries, including the United States and Britain, also have naval forces operating in the area.
The U.S. military on Thursday said it had destroyed two anti-ship ballistic missiles and an unmanned surface vessel launched by Houthis from Yemen.
“It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to coalition and merchant vessels in the region,” U.S. Central Command wrote on social media site X.
Photo courtesy of EUNAVFOR
