The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday, August 17, 2024, the destruction of a drone boat belonging to the Iranian-backed Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization, in the Red Sea.

A CENTCOM statement, published on X, seen by "Barran Press", stated: "Over the past 24 hours, US Central Command forces successfully destroyed a Houthi drone boat in the Red Sea."

The statement further clarified that the drone boat posed a clear and imminent threat to US forces, coalition forces, and commercial vessels in the region.

CENTCOM emphasized that these actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and ensure safer international waters for US, coalition, and commercial ships.

Since last November, the Houthi group, globally classified as a terrorist organization, has launched missile and drone attacks against commercial cargo ships in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.

The group’s attacks have led to increased maritime insurance costs and prompted numerous international shipping companies to opt for the significantly longer route around the southern tip of the African continent.

To deter the Houthis, the US-led “Combined Maritime Forces” (CMF), with significant British participation, initiated airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen in January 2024. The Houthi group has subsequently expanded its operations to target vessels linked to Washington and London, according to their own announcements.