US downs three Houthi drones, strikes anti-ship missiles

On October 12th, 2021, the United States announced that it had successfully downed three Houthi drones in Yemen using its air defenses. The Houthi rebels have been launching drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region for several years, and this latest incident marks a significant escalation of the conflict.

In addition to the drone strikes, the US also announced that it had conducted airstrikes against anti-ship missiles in Yemen. The exact nature of these strikes is not clear, but they are believed to have been carried out in response to intelligence gathered about Houthi plans to launch attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

The US has been providing military assistance to Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region as part of an international coalition aimed at countering the threat posed by the Houthi rebels. The coalition has also been conducting airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, although it is not clear if these strikes were carried out in response to the drone attacks or the anti-ship missiles.

The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing since 2015, when a civil war broke out between the government and the Houthi rebels. The war has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and the displacement of millions of people. The international community has been working to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means, but efforts have been largely unsuccessful.