U.S. says its destroyer shot down 14 drones in Red Sea launched from Yemen

An American destroyer on Saturday shot down more than a dozen drones in the Red Sea launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the U.S. Central Command said.

"The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS CARNEY... operating in the Red Sea, successfully engaged 14 unmanned aerial systems launched as a drone wave from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen," CENTCOM said social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

The aerial vehicles were "assessed to be one-way attack drones and were shot down with no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries," according to the statement.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel since Hamas militants poured over the border into Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Around 240 people were kidnapped in the attacks.

Vowing to destroy Hamas and bring back the hostages, Israel launched a massive military offensive that the Hamas-run territory's health ministry says has killed at least 18,800 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest toll from the Hamas government in Gaza.

The Houthi rebels have threatened to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports unless food and medicine are allowed into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Container shipping giant Maersk has ordered ships approaching the Red Sea to halt voyages after Houthi missile strikes on commercial ships in the area. 

Mediterranean Shipping Company announced in a news release on Saturday that their ships "will not transit the Suez Canal Eastbound and Westbound," after a container ship transiting the Red Sea on Friday was attacked. After suffering limited fire damage, the container ship was taken out of service.

MSC said their shipping services will be rerouted to go through the Cape of Good Hope.

The latest attacks mark a significant escalation in the threat to shipping in the area.

In:
• Houthi Movement
• Hamas
• Israel
• Yemen