French defense ministry and EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images
- Houthi attack drones have mostly been intercepted by US and allied warships in the Red Sea.
- Air-to-air combat has been much less common, but last month, a French helicopter shot down a drone.
- A former US naval aviator said the engagement is not necessarily surprising.
The Houthis have launched a lot of deadly threats into the Red Sea, many of which have been shot down by US and allied warships operating in the region's dangerous waters.
One recent interception, however, was credited to a French helicopter crew, which blasted a Houthi attack drone out of the sky in air-to-air combat. Helicopter-versus-drone fights aren't the norm in this conflict.