In the Red Sea region, reports indicate that a United States Navy vessel discharged gunfire at a reconnaissance aircraft described as a Houthi plane, which had originated from Yemen. The information came through comments attributed to a spokesman for the movement, Mohammed Abdel Salam, as cited by TASS.
According to the spokesman, a number of rounds were aimed at the aircraft during its patrol or surveillance flight. He added that one of the munitions detonated in proximity to a merchant vessel, underscoring the heightened risk to commercial seaborne traffic in the area.
In a separate briefing, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) reported a drone operation targeting two oil tankers flagged by Norway and India, situated in Red Sea waters. The official statement noted that on December 23, two Houthi anti-ship missiles were launched from locations under Houthi control within Yemen, directed toward international sea lanes to the south of the Red Sea.
Earlier, Pentagon officials stated that the unmanned aerial vehicle responsible for an attack on a vessel off India on December 23 had taken off from Iran, according to the same line of reporting. The military added that the incident involved an aerial platform operating in or near the vicinity of Indian maritime routes.
Additionally, Houthis articulated a stated objective to strike merchant shipping in the Red Sea at a cadence of every twelve hours, signaling a consistent, repeated threat to maritime commerce in the region through planned attacks.