The United States says the missiles pose an “imminent threat” to merchant ships and U.S. Navy ships in the region.
The US military says it destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile in Yemen that was aimed at the Red Sea and ready for launch after the Iran-aligned group attacked a British oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
The missile “posed an imminent threat to U.S. merchant ships and naval vessels in the region,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement on X on Saturday.
The Houthi group has launched drones and missiles at ships in the Red Sea since November 19 in response to Israeli military operations in Gaza.
US carries out self-defense strike against Houthi anti-ship missile
On January 27 at around 3:45 a.m. (Sanaa time), US Central Command forces carried out a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile aimed at the Red Sea and which was ready for launch. American forces… pic.twitter.com/UcHqDiyT1I
– US Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 27, 2024
The US attack follows a strike by Houthi rebels on a British fuel truck on Friday evening.
The Marlin Luanda, owned by Singapore-based trading company Trafigura, was damaged but no injuries were reported and the US Navy ship USS Carney was assisting, the US military said.
“We are pleased to confirm that all crew on board the Marlin Luanda are safe and that the fire in the cargo tank has been completely extinguished. The ship is now sailing to a safe port,” Trafigura said in an update.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack in a televised statement, saying his forces would continue attacking ships in the Red Sea until the “aggression” of Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza ceases.
Al Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, reported on Saturday that the United States and the United Kingdom launched two air raids on the port of Ras Issa, Yemen’s main oil export terminal , in the province of Hodeidah.
Houthi attacks have so far been concentrated in the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea. Around 50 ships sail through the strait daily, heading to and from the Suez Canal, a key artery of global maritime trade.
Some of the world’s largest shipping companies have suspended operations in the region, instead sending their ships on the longer route around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, slowing trade between Asia and Europe .
The United States and the United Kingdom have launched several rounds of air raids since Houthi attacks began targeting missile depots and missile launch sites in Yemen.
Since the start of the airstrikes campaign, the rebels have said they will also target American and British ships.
Two U.S.-flagged ships carrying cargo for defense and state departments were attacked by the Houthis on Wednesday, forcing a U.S. Navy escort warship to shoot down some of the projectiles.