Houthi rebels launch largest barrage of drones, missiles in Red Sea

United States and British naval forces on Tuesday evening shot down 21 missiles and drones fired by Houthi rebels, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. Officials did not immediately report any damage or injuries. British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said the barrage was the Iran-backed group’s largest attack targeting shipping vessels in the region. Houthi leaders have said recent attacks on merchant ships are intended to stop Israel’s war in Gaza, though Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of US Naval Central Command, said the group’s most recent targets often have no connection to Israel.

How is the international community responding to the threat? The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday was scheduled to vote on a resolution condemning the Houthi attacks. The draft resolution, obtained by the Associated Press, says the group’s attacks are interfering with global commerce and threatening regional stability. A group of U.N. committee members last week called on the Houthis to end their attacks. The U.S. State Department in 2021 removed the group from its list of terrorist organizations.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD Magazine on Hamas and its relationship with Arab countries.