"Robimar" was the first ship to sink in the Red Sea after being subjected to a missile attack by the Houthis (French)
The Ansar Allah group (Houthis) in Yemen announced the implementation of two military operations against an American ship and destroyers, while American and French forces announced the downing of dozens of drones launched by the Houthis.
The group's military spokesman, Yahya Sarie, said in a speech that the group's naval forces and air forces carried out "two qualitative military operations. The first targeted the American ship "Problem Fortune" in the Gulf of Aden with a number of suitable naval missiles, while the second operation targeted a number of American war destroyers. In the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with 37 drones.
He stressed that Houthi operations will continue until the aggression against the Gaza Strip stops.
The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since last November in solidarity with the Gaza Strip in the face of the Israeli aggression it has been facing since the seventh of last October.
In contrast to the Houthi announcement of the two attacks, American and French forces confirmed that dozens of drones were shot down in the Red Sea on Saturday.
The US Central Command said that it, with the participation of the allies, thwarted a large-scale attack by the Houthis in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region, and confirmed that it confronted a large-scale attack by them in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at dawn today, Saturday, and shot down 15 drones.
It stressed that the drones posed “an imminent threat to American commercial and naval ships and coalition ships in the region.”
She added that the Houthis fired two ballistic missiles from Yemen towards the ship MV Propel Fortune, flying the Singapore flag, in the Gulf of Aden, without causing injuries or damage.
France announces the cancellation of marches
The French Ministry of Defense also announced that a French frigate and fighter planes destroyed four combat marches in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday.
The Ministry explained in a statement that the marches were launched towards a ship belonging to the European Maritime Surveillance Operation in the Gulf of Aden.
She added that what she described as defensive work contributed directly to protecting the cargo ship that was subjected to a missile attack in recent days and the process of towing it is continuing, as well as protecting other commercial ships crossing the region.
For its part, the British Maritime Trade Operations Authority also confirmed that the ship Propel Fortune had been subjected to an attempted attack.
She said that the shipping company reported two explosions near the bulk carrier, but all crew members are fine, and the tanker is heading to the next port of call.
The British authority said in a statement: “According to sources, Propel Fortune was most likely targeted due to outdated US ownership data.”
This attack is one of the largest attacks launched by the Houthis on targets in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
On January 9, the US Army announced that it and British forces shot down 18 drones and 3 missiles fired by the Houthis towards ships in the Red Sea.
London said at the time that this was the largest attack by the Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.
Last December, the United States established a multinational maritime coalition to protect navigation in the Red Sea, in the face of Houthi attacks that forced commercial ships to divert their course and avoid the sea lane through which 12% of global trade passes.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies