The U.S. Destroys Two Houthi Drones Supported by the Iranian Government

On Sunday, April 1, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) destroyed two drones belonging to the Iran-backed Houthis. According to CENTCOM's statement, at 8:30 AM local time in Sanaa, one drone was destroyed over the Red Sea and the other was destroyed in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen while it was preparing for flight. The statement added that these drones posed a threat to U.S. forces and the coalition, as well as commercial vessels in the region, and their destruction was necessary to 'support our forces, ensure freedom of navigation, and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and commercial vessels.' Houthi militants in Yemen, supported by the Islamic Republic, have repeatedly attacked international commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea with missiles and drones since early October last year under the pretext of supporting Palestinians. Many of these attacks have been thwarted by U.S. or coalition forces, and numerous of their bases in Yemen have been targeted by independent or joint attacks from the U.S. military and its allies. The Biden administration, which had removed the Houthis from the list of terrorist organizations shortly after taking office in January 2021, placed the group back on the list of 'specially designated global terrorists' on February 16, 2023. The war in Yemen between the Iran-backed Houthis and forces loyal to the legitimate government of the country, supported by a coalition of Gulf Arab states, began nearly 10 years ago. With financial and military assistance from the Iranian government, the Houthis have managed to take control of northern areas, including Sanaa, the capital. During the 10 years of the Yemeni civil war, nearly 150,000 Yemeni citizens have been killed and three million others displaced. Despite a significant reduction in hostilities following a ceasefire two years ago, sporadic clashes still occur in some areas of the country.