China and Russia can sail through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden without being attacked, Yemen’s Houthis have told the countries, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.
Chief negotiator for the Houthi movement, Mohammed Abdulsalam, told Reuters that they have provided assurances to both China and Russia that their vessels will pass through the Red Sea unprovoked by the Houthis.
EU naval mission in Red Sea destroys missiles, Houthi seaborne drone
The EU’s naval mission in the southern Red Sea said on Thursday it had destroyed three ballistic missiles and a Houthi seaborne drone to protect merchant ships.
The EU’s mission, known as Aspides, said on social media platform X that a French warship had destroyed the ballistic missiles and a German destroyed the drone, operated by the Iran-aligned Houthis and spotted near commercial vessels.
Aspides was launched in February to help protect the key maritime trade route from drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militia, who say they are retaliating against Israel’s war on Gaza. Other countries, including the United States and Britain, also have naval forces operating in the area.
