Italian warship shoots down Houthi drone in the Red Sea

The Italian Ministry of Defense stated that the Duilio was in the region to ensure the safety of navigation and trade routes in the Red Sea, noting, "The Duilio ship shot down a UAV in the Red Sea this afternoon in accordance with the principle of self-defense. The UAV, which had characteristics similar to those used in previous attacks, was approximately 6 kilometers away from the Italian ship and was heading toward it."

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, whose remarks were included in the statement, assessed, "The terrorist attacks by the Houthis are a serious violation of international law and an attack on the security of maritime traffic, upon which our economy depends. These attacks are part of a hybrid war aimed at harming certain countries not only militarily but in every respect."

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani also stated in a television program he attended that the Duilio ship was attacked by a UAV yesterday afternoon, but that their ship shot down the drone.

THE SITUATION IN THE RED SEA

The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have been seizing commercial vessels they claim are linked to Israeli companies off the coast of Yemen since October 31, 2023, in response to Israel's attacks in Gaza, and have been carrying out attacks on some of them with drones and missiles.

Approximately 12 percent of global trade is conducted through the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and offers the shortest route between Europe and Asia.