The U.S. military launched a self-defense strike Saturday night against six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that were preparing to launch against ships in the Red Sea, officials said.
U.S. Central Command announced that the cruise missile has been identified in Yemen’s Houthi-held territory and has been determined to pose an immediate threat to U.S. naval vessels and commercial vessels in the region.
“This measure will protect freedom of navigation and make the high seas safer and more secure for the U.S. Navy and commercial vessels,” Centcom said.
US retaliatory strikes will prove ‘ineffective’: Kirk Lippold
A missile is fired from a warship during a US-led coalition operation against Houthi rebels in Yemen. On Saturday, US forces launched an offensive against the Houthis. (U.S. Central Command, via X/Reuters)
The United States conducted another self-defense strike on Thursday targeting multiple Iranian-backed projectiles. Houthi armed forces The plane was preparing for launch in Yemen. The US has carried out more than a dozen airstrikes against the Houthis since January 11.
Terrorist fighters frequently attacked merchant ships in the Red Sea, upending the global shipping industry. The attack is in retaliation for Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
On Friday, the US military launched a series of attacks against Houthi drones at various times throughout the day.
The latest airstrike comes days after three U.S. soldiers were killed in Jordan. The Biden administration has condemned the Iraqi Islamic Resistance Forces, an umbrella organization for Iranian-backed militias including the militant group Kataib Hezbollah.
Earlier this month, two U.S. Navy SEALs went missing during a mission in the Red Sea and were later confirmed dead.
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Previous U.S. attacks have failed to deter attacks against U.S. forces. Since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, the Iranian-backed militant group has attacked U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria at least 166 times with rockets, missiles and one-way attack drones, and the U.S. It triggered about six counterattacks. Combat facilities on both sides.
Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
