The United States Navy shot down a drone originating from a Houthi-controlled part of Yemen on Wednesday morning, U.S. officials said.

The downing of the drone comes amid an escalation in attacks in Middle East waters linked to the Israel-Hamas war and marks the sixth time the U.S. has fired on drones in the Red Sea since the war broke out.

There was no reported damage to U.S. ships and no U.S. personnel suffered injuries, according to a U.S. official.

Earlier Wednesday, Britain’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) warned vessels transiting the area to be cautious following a report of a drone over the Red Sea west of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.

The U.S. shot down three drones Sunday that were targeting commercial ships and a U.S. warship in an hours-long attack that saw several vessels hit by missiles.  The Iran-backed Houthi rebel group claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The U.S. condemned Iran for their alleged involvement in the assaults.

“These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security,” the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement. “They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world. We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran.”

Some information in this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press
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