French warship shoots down two drones approaching Red Sea from Yemen

• A French warship shoots down two drones approaching the Red Sea from Yemen.
• Drones were intercepted and destroyed late Saturday.
• The Houthi militia threatens to attack ships heading to Israel.

According to the French military, on Sunday, two drones that were approaching the Red Sea from the Yemeni shore were shot down by a French warship.

The Red Sea-based frigate Languedoc carried out “the interception and destruction of these two identified threats” late on Saturday, according to a press release from the general staff.

It further said that the interceptions took place at 2030 and 2230 GMT, 110 kilometers (68 miles) off the coast of Yemen.

The Houthi militia in Yemen, which is backed by Iran, vowed on Saturday to destroy any ships that were going to Israeli ports unless food and medicine were let to enter the beleaguered Gaza Strip.

The most recent warning coincides with increased Red Sea and nearby ocean tensions brought on by a slew of Houthi militia maritime strikes since the Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7.

The Houthis threatened to “stop the passage of ships heading to the Zionist entity” in a social media statement if humanitarian aid was not permitted into Gaza, which is administered by Hamas.

Although the Houthis have attacked ships in the past that they believe have direct connections to Israel, their most recent threat broadens their target base.

Washington described the shooting down of three drones by an American destroyer last week while assisting commercial ships in the Red Sea that were being attacked by Yemeni forces as “a direct threat” to maritime security.

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