For the first time since the Houthis began launching attacks on the Red Sea, an Italian ship has been targeted by Yemeni rebels.

The destroyer Duilio was the target of the Houthis who launched drones to hit it, causing panic among the ship’s crew. The drone was shot down by Duilio’s anti-aircraft systems, about six kilometers before reaching its target.

The attack on a ship that is not US or British shows that the Houthis throw down a challenge not only in Italy, but in all the countries of the European Union participating in Operation Shield.

Italy’s Defence Minister spoke of a Houthi terrorist attack that brutally violates international law and the safety of navigation.

According to Euronews, the Rubymar cargo ship sunk by the Houthis is also threatening the marine environment with a huge ecological disaster as it was carrying tens of thousands of tons of fertilizer.

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