Yemen

American and British forces carried out a fresh wave of strikes Saturday against 18 Huthi targets in Yemen, following weeks of unrelenting attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed rebels.

American forces shot down three attack drones near commercial ships in the Red Sea Friday and destroyed seven anti-ship cruise missiles positioned on land, the U.S. military said.

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In a significant move, the Houthi rebels in Yemen have declared a ban on American, British, and Israeli ships from entering the Red and Arabian Seas, as well as the Gulf of Aden. The ban extends to vessels owned or partially owned by Israeli citizens or companies, as well as those flying the Israeli flag.

American forces launched "self-defense strikes" Wednesday against Huthi missiles and launch positions in rebel-controlled Yemen that posed threats to commercial shipping and naval forces in the Red Sea, the U.S. military said.

The Greek-flagged bulker Sea Champion arrived in the southern Yemeni port of Aden on Tuesday after being attacked in the Red Sea in what appeared to have been a mistaken missile strike by the Houthi militia, sources said.

The European Union has launched Monday a naval mission to help protect cargo ships in the Red Sea as attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to threaten maritime traffic, hamper trade and drive up prices.

A Greece-flagged, US-owned, cargo ship reported a missile attack in the Gulf of Aden and called for military assistance, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Monday.

The crew was unharmed in the incident, which occurred 93 nautical miles east of Aden, Yemen, it said.

The German government has approved the deployment of armed forces in a European Union naval mission in the Red Sea to protect merchant ships from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia, a government spokesperson said on Friday.

Greece, France and Italy are among the countries that will participate in the mission, named Aspides, meaning protector.

Greece-headquartered Star Bulk will halt sailings through the Red Sea after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis attacked two of its ships in recent days, the group's CEO said.

The Houthis have targeted commercial vessels with drones and missiles in the Red Sea since mid-November in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war.