US says it struck missiles, drone that posed threat to Red Sea ships

On Thursday, the US military reported conducting strikes targeting six mobile anti-ship cruise missiles and an aerial drone in the Red Sea, which were deemed as threats to ships in the area.

"On February 29, between 6:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces executed two self-defense strikes against six mobile anti-ship cruise missiles poised for launch towards the Red Sea.

Earlier that evening, around 5:10 p.m. (Sanaa time), CENTCOM forces intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the southern Red Sea in self-defense.

CENTCOM forces assessed that both the missiles and UAV posed an immediate threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the vicinity. These actions were taken to safeguard the freedom of navigation and enhance the safety and security of international waters for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels." U.S. Central Command said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Meanwhile, according to a report in Reuters, Yemen's Houthis will introduce “military surprises” in their Red Sea operations, the Iran-aligned group's leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech on Thursday.

Houthi militants have repeatedly fired on international commercial ships since mid-November in solidarity with Palestinians over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The Huthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, have been attacking the vital shipping lane since November in a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.

The United States is spearheading its own naval coalition in the Red Sea and has conducted strikes on the Huthis in Yemen along with Britain.

The volatile situation in the Red Sea increases the need for an alternate trade corridor to ship goods from India to Europe, India’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Sunjay Sudhir said in an interview in Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of a World Trade Organization meeting. “If things happen the way they are happening today, it is so critical to have an alternate supply route,” he said as quoted by Bloomberg. “India and UAE being the first two countries in the corridor, it is very important for us to take the lead.”

-With agency inputs