U.S. forces have carried out another round of air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to continuing attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The U.S. Central Command said its forces conducted a strike in self-defense against a Houthi land attack cruise missile Sunday morning local time. It was followed by attack on four anti-ship cruise missiles, which were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea.
Centcom said U.S. forces carried out the attack after identifying the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, which “presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.”
On Saturday, U.S. and British forces launched a series of air raids hitting 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen.
“These strikes are intended to further disrupt and degrade the capabilities of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia to conduct their reckless and destabilizing attacks against U.S. and international vessels lawfully transiting the Red Sea,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin said in a statement.
The joint US-UK strikes were supported by an international coalition, also consisting of Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
The strikes targeted sites associated with the Houthis’ deeply buried weapons storage facilities; missile systems and launchers; air defense systems; and radars, according to the Pentagon.
“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: We will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats,” the coalition members said in a statement.
Also last week, US warships shot down Houthi drones over the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels vowed to retaliate against the latest strikes on its bases.
The Houthis have conducted more than thirty attacks on international and commercial vessels in the Red Sea since mid-November, significantly disrupting the free flow of commerce and navigational rights in one of the world’s most vital waterways.
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