The US military said it shot down a drone and missile reportedly fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday. Guided missile destroyer the USS Mason downed a drone and an anti-ship ballistic missile in the Southern Red Sea, said US Central Command. Houthi rebels said they would block Israeli ships from travelling through the Red Sea after Israel’s siege on Gaza. The waterway and the Gulf of Aden is economically vital as 10 per cent of annual global trade moves through the Red Sea. Also on Thursday, the US issued sanctions aimed at an individual and exchange houses allegedly involved in Iranian financing of the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Source: GNN Liberia December 29, 2023 08:51 UTC