Yemeni Army Strikes Two American Ships, Downs US Drone


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Yemeni army conducted new operations against American vessels near the country, hitting two US ships in the Gulf of Aden and shooting down an MQ9 Reaper drone.

In a statement on Monday, Yemeni army spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said naval forces "carried out two specific military operations in which they targeted two American ships in the Gulf of Aden."

The vessels, identified as Sea Champion and Navis Fortuna, were targeted with "appropriate naval missiles," resulting in direct hits and casualties.

Saree also mentioned four operations against American and British targets in the past 24 hours. One operation sank a British ship, while another targeted the American MQ9 aircraft in Yemen's Hudaydah Governorate. The last two operations targeted American ships.

The MQ9 Reaper drone was hit "with a suitable missile while it was carrying out hostile missions against our country," Saree said.

The Yemeni Armed Forces, according to Saree, will continue operations in the Red and Arabian seas "in defense of our people, our country, and our nation," and in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The Yemeni army's operations against the United States, the UK, and Israel will continue until the Israeli regime's aggression against Gaza stops and the siege is lifted, Saree emphasized.

Yemen has expressed support for the Palestinians' struggle against Israeli occupation since the regime's onslaught on Gaza in October 2023. The Yemeni Armed Forces have targeted Israeli, US, and British ships in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, prompting some shipping companies to take detours around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which handles about 12 percent of global maritime trade.

The Yemeni army reassured that only Israeli, US, and British ships are targeted, ensuring the safety of other countries' cargoes.