CENTCOM on Friday said it had launched missile strikes against the Houthis in Yemen in “self-defence,” Arab Social Media reported.
CENTCOM added that the Houthis launched one anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) from Yemen into the Red Sea, but no vessels were hit or damaged. Consequently, US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces struck one Iranian-backed surface-to-air missile in self-defence:
“On March 1, at approximately 12:40 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a self-defence strike against one Iranian-backed Houthi surface-to-air missile that was prepared to launch from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen towards the Red Sea. CENTCOM forces identified the missile and determined it presented an imminent threat to U.S. aircraft in the region.”
The Houthi began their operations in the Red Sea, preventing all Israeli or Israeli-affiliated vessels from passing through Bab al-Mandeb, adding that all their operations are in solidarity with “the oppressed Palestinian people, who until this moment are subjected to aggression and siege.”
Since the conflict began on 7 October, the US has expressed solidarity with Tel Aviv through unconditional military, political and financial support. For example, Washington used its veto power to reject Algeria’s draft resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The widespread support for Israel placed the American administration in a critical position, facing mass protests in various states where President Joe Biden was unwelcome, including Michigan, home to large Palestinian, Lebanese, Yemeni and Iraqi communities. Earlier this week, a member of the US Air Force set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington to protest the war in Gaza.
