French Warship Destroys Three Houthi Ballistic Missiles

A European Union naval group present in the southern Red Sea announced on Thursday that it had destroyed three ballistic missiles and an unmanned maritime vehicle belonging to the Houthis to protect commercial vessels. According to Reuters, this group, named Aspide, stated on social media platform X that a French warship destroyed the ballistic missiles, while a German warship identified and destroyed a Houthi drone aligned with the Islamic Republic of Iran near commercial vessels. Aspide was deployed in February to help protect the crucial shipping route in the Red Sea that is under attack by Houthi rebels. British security firm Ambrey reported on Thursday that a commercial vessel reported being fired upon by a very small boat approximately 109 nautical miles south of Nishtun in Yemen. Ambrey noted that the commercial vessel reported four armed individuals on the boat who fired at it after approaching, and a private armed security team aboard the vessel returned fire. No damage or injuries to the ship were reported. In another report, Reuters highlighted the Houthi attacks and the efforts of international naval forces to monitor commercial vessels, stating that two ships carrying oil and toxic waste have been stranded in the region's waters for a long time due to these events. Houthi actions have also endangered the environmental status of the Red Sea. Reports indicate that they use weapons smuggled from Iran in their attacks on commercial vessels and benefit from the Islamic Republic's intelligence support for these operations. The Houthis claim to have attacked a ship in the Red Sea and the Israeli port of Eilat. CENTCOM reported that the firing of three Houthi ballistic missiles caused no damage or casualties.