French and German Navy Helicopters Take Down Houthi Drones in the Red Sea

A French frigate operating in the Red Sea intercepted three Houthi ballistic missiles, with intense footage showing the moment a surface-to-air missile launched and hit one of the threats. This marks the latest engagement between Western navies and the Iran-backed Houthis, who have been targeting international shipping lanes. France, alongside the US Navy, is working to protect vessels from the Houthi attacks, which have included anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, attack drones, and unmanned surface vehicles. The conflict has led to near-daily engagements, with US forces conducting preemptive strikes and the EU's Operation Aspides recently reporting a French helicopter shooting down a Houthi drone posing a threat to commercial ships.