(Washington) The United States carried out four strikes on Wednesday on missile systems of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the US military command for the Middle East, Centcom, announced.
“On February 21, between 0000 and 1845 Sanaa time, Centcom forces carried out four self-defense strikes against seven Houthi anti-ship cruise missile systems and a mobile anti-ship ballistic missile launcher that were prepared for of a launch to the Red Sea,” Centcom said in a statement.
“In addition, during this time, Centcom forces shot down one (explosive drone) defensively,” he added.
These missiles, launchers, and drones were “identified in areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthis” and represented “an imminent threat” to navigation in the region, Centcom also said.
Since November, the Houthis have been carrying out attacks off Yemen on ships they consider linked to Israel. 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 set up a multinational maritime protection force in the Red Sea in December, called “Prosperity Guardian” 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.
The European Union announced on Monday the launch of its own maritime protection mission, planned for one year and possibly renewable.