Italian Warship Downs Drone in the Red Sea

The Italian Ministry of Defense reported that a ship belonging to the Italian navy shot down a drone that was flying towards it in the Red Sea on Saturday. The ministry's statement described the action as self-defense carried out by the ship Duilio, which is assisting in protecting trade routes from drone and missile attacks by the Yemeni Houthi group. The statement noted that "the drone, which has similar characteristics to those used in previous attacks, was about six kilometers away from the Italian ship and was heading towards it." Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated that "the terrorist attacks by the Houthis represent a serious violation of international law and an assault on the security of maritime navigation on which our economy depends." The European Union launched a naval mission in February to protect navigation in the region.