U.S. and British warships on Saturday shot down 15 suspected attack drones over the Red Seas launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen, fending off the latest onslaught by the Iranian-controlled group in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes as the Israel-Hamas war threatened to spread.

The USS Carney, an American destroyer, intercepted 14 drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. They “were shot down with no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries,” U.S. Central Command said.

A photo provided by the Royal Navy shows the HMS Diamond firing its Sea Viper missile to shoot down a drone over the Red Sea. AP

A view of the HMS Diamond off the coast of Scotland AP

A U.S. warship shot down 14 suspected attack drones over the Red Sea on Saturday, and a Royal Navy destroyer downed another drone that was targeting commercial ships. AP

The British HMS Diamond also destroyed a drone that was “targeting merchant shipping,” said U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps.

He added that attacks on commercial ships by Yemen’s Houthi rebels “represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security.”

“The U.K. remains committed to repelling these attacks to protect the free flow of global trade,” he said in a statement.

Global shipping has become a major target during the war between Israel and Hamas, which like the Houthis is backed by Iran.

With Post wires