An American destroyer shot down more than a dozen drones Saturday in the Red Sea launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

"The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS CARNEY... operating in the Red Sea, successfully engaged 14 unmanned aerial systems launched as a drone wave from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen," CENTCOM said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The aerial vehicles were "assessed to be one-way attack drones and were shot down with no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries," according to the statement.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel since Hamas militants poured over the border into Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Around 240 people were kidnapped in the attacks.

Vowing to destroy Hamas and bring back the hostages, Israel launched a massive military offensive that the Hamas-run territory's health ministry says has killed more than 18,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest toll from the Hamas government in Gaza.

The Houthi rebels have threatened to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports unless food and medicine are allowed into the besieged Gaza Strip.

The latest attacks mark a significant escalation in the threat to shipping in the area.

VOA