US forces carried out strikes against a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile in the Red Sea and 36 Houthi targets inside Yemen, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Sunday.
The strikes come a day after the US hit 85 targets in Syria and Iraq in response to last Sunday’s deadly drone attack on a US military base in Jordan which killed three soldiers.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, CENTCOM wrote, “On Feb. 4, at approximately 4 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted a strike in self-defense against a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea. U.S. forces identified the cruise missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined it presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels.”
USCENTCOM Destroys an Anti-Ship Cruise Missile in Yemen
On Feb. 4, at approximately 4 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted a strike in self-defense against a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea. U.S. forces… pic.twitter.com/zf29DbuioL
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 4, 2024
In another post on X titled “U.S. Forces, Allies Conduct Joint Strikes in Yemen”, CENTCOM wrote, “As part of ongoing international efforts to respond to increased Iranian-backed Houthi destabilizing and illegal activities in the region, on Feb. 3 at approximately 11:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces, alongside UK Armed Forces and with the support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand conducted strikes against 36 Houthi targets at 13 locations in Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen. These multilateral coalition strikes focused on targets in Houthi-controlled Yemen used to attack international merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.
“These Iranian-backed Houthi targets included multiple underground storage facilities, command and control, missile systems, UAV storage and operations sites, radars, and helicopters.
“These strikes are intended to degrade Houthi capabilities used to continue their reckless and unlawful attacks on U.S. and U.K. ships as well as international commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. These strikes are separate and distinct from the multinational freedom of navigation actions performed under Operation Prosperity Guardian.”
U.S. Forces, Allies Conduct Joint Strikes in Yemen
As part of ongoing international efforts to respond to increased Iranian-backed Houthi destabilizing and illegal activities in the region, on Feb. 3 at approximately 11:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces,… pic.twitter.com/hlfLY1QjOd
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 3, 2024
As the world is watching the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza silently, Houthis have come forward and launched attacks on Western, American and Israeli commercial ships passing through the Red Sea. As a result, major shipping companies have stopped using the Red Sea route and instead opted to take a much longer route around southern Africa.
Almost 15 percent of the global seaborne trade usually passes through the Red Sea and Houthi attacks have disrupted this trade completely.