The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday night shot down five Iranian-backed UAVs in the Red Sea.
A CENTCOM announcement said that "between the hours of 9:50p.m. and 10:55 p.m. (Sanaa time), US aircraft and a coalition warship shot down five Iranian-backed Houthi one-way attack (OWA) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the Red Sea."
"CENTCOM forces identified these UAVs originating from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy and coalition ships in the region," the statement added.
"These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy and merchant vessels."
On Monday, CENTCOM confirmed that "between the hours of 4:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USV), two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in self-defense."
"The USV and ASCM weapons were prepared to launch towards, and the UAV was over, the Red Sea."
CENTCOM added that its forces "identified the USVs and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, as well as the UAV over the Red Sea, and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region."