(Paris) The United States struck drones and anti-ship cruise missile systems of Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday, the US military Middle East Command (CENTCOM) announced.
US forces “destroyed three naval surface drones, mobile anti-ship cruise missile systems and an aerial drone” that were preparing to launch attacks in the Red Sea, according to a message posted Tuesday by CENTCOM on the social network .
Drones and missile systems, identified in areas controlled by Yemeni rebels, presented “an imminent threat” to US merchant ships and warships, the message said.
The Houthis, supported by Iran, have been carrying out attacks on ships they consider linked to Israel since November. They claim to be acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is waging a bloody war against Hamas in retaliation for the unprecedented attack by this Palestinian Islamist movement on Israeli soil on October 7.
Faced with Houthi attacks, the United States, Israel’s supporter, set up a multinational maritime protection force in the Red Sea in December and launched, with the help of the United Kingdom, strikes in Yemen against the Houthis. The latter have since expanded their attacks to ships linked to the United States or the United Kingdom.