The United States has launched attacks on four Houthi targets in Yemen. The Central Command of the United States announced this on their Twitter page.
The targets of the strikes were seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, one mobile missile launcher prepared for launch towards the Red Sea, and a Houthi drone.
“These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer for the US Navy and merchant vessels,” emphasized the Pentagon.
Prior to this, the Houthis attacked two American ships in the Gulf of Aden.
Against the backdrop of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Houthi rebels have been attacking commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea since October 2023. Drones and rockets are being used for these purposes.
The Houthis claim that their target is only ships entering Israeli ports or owned by individuals connected to Israel. However, their actions have begun to impede international navigation.
Several companies have announced that they will no longer send their ships through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and is an important shipping route for the whole world.
On the night of January 12, 2024, the United States and the United Kingdom, with the support of the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and Bahrain, launched massive strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. US President Joe Biden called this step a direct response to Houthi attacks on foreign vessels.
Earlier, the US launched an attack on a Houthi cruise missile that was being prepared for launch.
