Anger over Israel's devastating campaign in Gaza has grown across the Middle East, provoking reprisals that the US has blamed on Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Photo courtesy USCENTCOM
The Houthis have been targeting Israel-linked shipping for months and their attacks have persisted despite repeated American and British strikes aimed at degrading the rebels' ability to threaten a vital global trade route.
Early on Friday, US forces "shot down three Houthi one-way attack (drones) near several commercial ships operating in the Red Sea. There was no damage to any ships," the Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media.
In a statement later in the day, CENTCOM said US forces destroyed "seven Iranian-backed Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea."
It said those strikes, carried out between 12:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Sanaa time, were made in self-defense.
The day prior, American forces struck four Houthi drones as well as two anti-ship cruise missiles, CENTCOM said, adding that the weapons "were prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen towards the Red Sea."
The Houthis began attacking Red Sea shipping in November, saying they are hitting Israel-linked vessels to push Israel to halt its war in the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians and reduced most of the territory to rubble.
US and UK forces responded with strikes against the Houthis, who have since declared American and British interests to be legitimate targets as well.
Anger over Israel's devastating campaign in Gaza has grown across the Middle East, provoking reprisals that the US has blamed on Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online
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