American and allied military forces shot down more than a dozen Houthi drones in the Gulf of Aden overnight Friday into Saturday after the Iranian-backed militant group targeted a U.S. destroyer and a Singapore-flagged ship, according to reports.
U.S. Navy ships and aircraft downed 15 bomb-carrying drones in the waterway, U.S. Central Command said in a statement on Saturday.
The Houthis, who have said they are menacing shipping in the Red Sea area in solidarity with Hamas' fight against Israeli forces in Gaza, targeted the Propel Fortune freighter on Friday, the Associated Press reported.
The ship continued on its way.
"The missiles did not impact the vessel," the U.S. military said. "There were no injuries or damages reported."
The Houthis, who have been attacking ships since November, confirmed they were behind the assault on the Propel Fortune.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group targeted the cargo ship and "a number of U.S. war destroyers at the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 37 drones."
U.S., British and French forces downed dozens of drones in response, according to Reuters.
Fighter jets and a warship belonging to France shot down four of the drones that were heading toward ships in the region, Reuters reported, citing the French army.
"This defensive action directly contributed to the protection of the cargo ship True Confidence, under the Barbados flag, which was struck on March 6 and is being towed, as well as other commercial vessels transiting in the area," the statement said.
A Houthi missile struck the commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, killing three crew members.
