(Dan Tri) – US, French and British forces shot down dozens of drones in the Red Sea after Houthis repeatedly attacked cargo ships and destroyers in the area.

Sea Ceptor missiles were fired from the British ship HMS Richmond, as two Houthi drones headed towards the ship (Photo: EPA-EFE).

Houthi force military spokesman Yahya Sarea announced on March 9 that the force had targeted the cargo ship Propel Fortune and `several US destroyers in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 37 aircraft.`

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the US military and coalition forces shot down at least 28 drones over the Red Sea in the early morning of March 9.

`No US naval vessels or allied forces were damaged in the attack and there were no reports of damage to commercial vessels,` CENTCOM announced.

Previously, CENTCOM announced that US forces were responding to a large-scale Houthi attack on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between 4:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.

`These drones are used to create a threat to cargo ships, US Navy ships and allied force ships in the region,` CENTCOM confirmed.

A French military statement on March 9 said a French warship and fighter jet also shot down four combat drones that were moving toward European naval ships in the area.

France has a warship in the region as well as fighter jets at bases in Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, the British Ministry of Defense said on March 9 that the country’s warship HMS Richmond and international allies repelled a Houthi drone attack overnight and said there were no injuries.

`Last night, HMS Richmond used Sea Ceptor missiles to shoot down two attacking drones, successfully repelling another illegal attack by Iran-backed Houthi forces,` the Minister of National Defense said.

`The UK and our allies will continue to take the necessary actions to protect lives and protect freedom of navigation,` Minister Shapps added.

The Houthis have continuously carried out missile and drone attacks against cargo ships passing through the Red Sea since mid-November last year.

The attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing some shipping lines to shift shipping to longer routes around southern Africa, leading to higher costs.

The US and UK, with the support of a number of partners, have begun attacking Houthi targets in Yemen to pressure the force to stop attacks in the Red Sea.

However, the Houthis announced that they would only reconsider attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea after Israel stopped attacking Gaza.