Middle East: US strikes Houthi drones in Yemen

U.S. authorities reported late on Wednesday that the United States had targeted and hit as many as 10 unmanned drones in Yemen that were poised for launch amid rising tensions from the conflict in Gaza that is extending across the region.

On Wednesday, the Houthis announced that their naval units had executed an operation, striking an "American merchant ship" in the Gulf of Aden, just hours after launching missile attacks on the US Navy destroyer Gravely.

In response, the US army initiated attacks against the Houthis and other groups connected to Iran in the Middle East.

According to the U.S. Army Central Command (CENTCOM), the following were destroyed: "Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs" that "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region".

Recall that in November, the Houthis, who hold control over Yemen's most densely populated areas, initiated attacks on vessels associated with Israel in the Red Sea, claiming these actions as a gesture of unity with the Palestinians in Gaza and to show support for Hamas.

The US government has created a special naval shipping group to protect global trade in the Red Sea. It is expected to include the European Union.

Source: Reuters, Al Jazeera, Fox News