US military conducts defensive strikes against Houthi rebels naval assets in Yemen
The American troops conducted five operations on Saturday. These operations included three attacks on anti-ship maneuvering missiles, one on an unmanned underwater vessel and another on an unmanned surface vessel.
2:51 PM EST, February 18, 2024
"This marks the first observed use of unmanned underwater vessels by the Houthis since the initiation of their attacks on October 23," reads the CENTCOM statement, as published on the X service.
CENTCOM added that the targets "posed a direct threat to the ships of the United States Navy as well as commercial ships in this area".
The situation in the Red Sea: Houthi attacks
Since mid-November last year, Houthi attacks have been targeted at commercial vessels traversing the Red Sea. These attacks, executed using missiles and drones, are funded by Iran. The Houthis claim that their actions symbolize solidarity with the Palestinians and show support for Hamas, an organization in conflict with Israel. As a result of the Houthi's unleashed wave of attacks, many carriers have opted for a more costly and lengthier, but ultimately safer, route around Africa.
The American aircraft carrier Eisenhower and its accompanying fleet are currently stationed in the region, actively detecting and intercepting missiles and drones launched by the Houthis towards vessels navigating the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. Fighter planes from the ships are also attacking identified rocket launcher sites.
As of Wednesday, the American naval group has conducted over 95 operations intercepting drones, missiles, and anti-ship maneuverings, and carried out over 240 attacks on over 50 Houthi targets, according to the AP news agency.
Source: X/PAP/Reuters
