The US Army conducted six defence strikes and fired 18 anti-ship missiles in Yemen after Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea, ABC News reports.
In response to the initial strikes, “US Central Command conducted six self-defence strikes, destroying an unmanned underwater vessel and firing 18 anti-ship missiles into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen” between 2:50 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. shortly after the initial strikes, CENTCOM said in a detailed description of the operation. Officials said:
It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy and merchant vessels.
The Houthis began attacking ships in the Red Sea last November. The rebels initially explained their attacks as a method of pressuring Israel to end the war, which began after the 7 October attacks.
In response, US and coalition warships shot down all approaching Houthi shells, leaving the Houthis with little defence against commercial vessels.
Since the US began its airstrike campaign in January, the US military says it has shot down and destroyed more than 100 Houthi rockets, according to an Associated Press analysis of statements, but the Houthi rebel onslaught, meanwhile, shows no sign of abating.
