USA, new attacks on the Houthis

2024-02-05 08:40:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US forces carried out airstrikes against five missiles in Yemen on Sunday, the US military said, revealing that one of the missiles was designed for ground attack while the others were designed to target ships in the Red Sea.

The strikes came a day after US and British forces launched new airstrikes against Iranian targets, hitting 36 Houthi rebel group targets in Yemen in response to the rebels' continued attacks on ships.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media that U.S. forces conducted a "self-defense attack against a cruise missile" that was designed for land attack and later struck "four cruise missiles that were prepared to be launched launched against ships in the Red Sea".

U.S. forces "identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they posed an immediate threat to U.S. Navy ships and commercial shipping in the region," CENTCOM added.

The Houthis began targeting ships in the Red Sea in November last year, saying they were hitting ships linked to Israel and they say they are doing so in support of the Palestinians in Gaza.

The war between Israel and Hamas - the Palestinian group declared a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union - began on October 7, 2023 after Hamas attacked southern Israel.

On January 28, a drone crashed into a base in Jordan, killing three US soldiers and injuring more than 40 - an attack Washington blamed on Iranian-backed forces.

The US responded on Friday with strikes on Iran-linked targets in Syria and Iraq.

For this attack, Washington blamed Iran and its allies operating in Syria and Iraq.

According to the announcement, 13 different locations in Yemen were hit by US F/A-18 fighter jets and US warships in the Red Sea.

US officials said on January 3 that they believe air strikes on dozens of Iran-linked sites in Syria and Iraq on Friday were successful and warned of additional strikes.

Allies of the United States supported Washington's actions, while Iran, Iraq and Syria expressed anger at a time of concern about the spread of the conflict in the Middle East region./ REL