"This afternoon, guided by the principle of self-defense, the ship Duilio shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Red Sea. The unmanned aerial vehicle, similar in its characteristics to those already used in previous attacks, was approximately 6 kilometers [3.7 miles] from the Italian ship and was flying towards it," the ministry said in a statement.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto called the Houthi attacks "terrorist," adding that they were a "serious violation of international law" and an "attack on the safety of maritime transport" on which the country’s economy depends, the statement read.
Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led the United States to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. Forces of the US and the United Kingdom later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.