US says downed 11 Yemen rebel drones

The United States military said Thursday it had shot down 11 drones belonging to Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, after the group claimed it had targeted Israeli and American ships off the Gulf of Aden.

The US Central Command said on X, formerly Twitter, that its forces had shot down three drones launched from Huthi-controlled areas on Wednesday morning, and eight drones later the same day.

"It was determined the UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region," the statement said using the acronym for unmanned aerial vehicles.

The latest Huthi attacks targeted two Israeli ships as well as an American commercial vessel and a US warship, the Huthis said in a statement.

"The ships were targeted with a number of suitable naval missiles and drones," the statement said.

Huthi rebels have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November, leading to retaliatory strikes by the United States against Huthi targets in Yemen.

The rebels say their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians during Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Israel's main ally the United States formed a multinational coalition in December to protect maritime traffic, but has so far failed to prevent the attacks.