French Helicopter Destroys Houthi Drone

The European Union's EUNAVFOR MED operation, named Operation IRINI, announced today that a French Navy helicopter destroyed a Houthi combat drone in the southern Red Sea in an effort to protect commercial vessels. A statement issued by the EUNAVFOR MED command in Larissa, Greece, noted that a French warship detected a drone from the Yemeni Houthi movement flying near commercial ships. It added that the French helicopter, which was on patrol in the area, was directed by the warship to engage with the drone and destroy it using its onboard weapons. Operation IRINI was launched in February with the aim of protecting the main route for global trade from attacks carried out by the Houthi movement using drones and missiles.