French navy neutralizes Houthi drones in Red Sea

The French navy destroys two drones fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen, escalating tensions in the Red Sea

The Houthi rebels in Yemen fired two drones, which the French navy destroyed in a major Red Sea event that escalated tensions in a vital maritime corridor. The defense ministry in Paris disclosed this operation by the French military on Tuesday, highlighting the extent to which the current battle extends beyond Yemen’s borders.

The French navy, stationed on the Red Sea with two frigates to monitor and neutralize threats, was conducting increased monitoring at the time of the event. In the morning hours of Monday and Tuesday, the ships became aware of the drone attacks coming from Yemen, which resulted in the unmanned aircraft being decisively shot down.

This conflict comes soon after the European Union decided to launch mission Aspides to protect commerce in the Red Sea from the Houthis backed by Iran. Since November, the rebels, who now control a large area of Yemen, have started interfering with this crucial sea route. They assert that their acts are in favor of the Palestinians during the Gaza confrontation with Israel.

In order to build a defensive presence in this vital waterway, the European Union’s mission intends to send at least four ships to the area in the next weeks. With the deployment of the Alsace, a frigate with air defense capabilities, and the Languedoc, a vessel with an anti-submarine warfare specialty, France has made a substantial contribution to this endeavor. Interestingly, the Languedoc had fought and killed two drones in identical conditions back in December, demonstrating the persistent nature of the danger.

Yahya Saree, the military spokeswoman for the Houthi group, boldly said that the latest drone assault was directed at American warships, posing a direct threat to the international troops stationed in the region. In response to such provocations, the coalition forces of the United States and Britain have launched retaliatory attacks on Houthi strongholds in Yemen.

Global shipping has been greatly impacted by the Houthi’s hostile posture, leading a number of corporations to reroute their boats. One such company took a two-week detour across southern Africa to escape the unstable security situation in the Red Sea.

The security situation in one of the most important marine passages in the world is made more complex by recent allegations from the Houthis claiming assaults on many boats, including the US-owned Sea Champion, the British-registered Rubymar, and the Navis Fortuna.

Source: AFP