In a recent development, the US military has announced that it carried out strikes on 14 Houthi missies in Yemen. This marks the fourth day of consecutive US strikes in less than a week.
According to a statement released on social media platform X, US Central Command has expressed concern over the Houthi missiles, stating that they pose a significant threat to both merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region.
Ship attacks in the region by the Iran-allied Houthi militia since November have had a negative impact on trade between Asia and Europe, causing concern among major powers. The US strikes aim to weaken the Houthis' capacity to launch attacks in the Red Sea.
However, the Houthis, who currently hold sway over the majority of Yemen, claim that their actions are driven by a sense of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. They have also issued warnings about the potential expansion of their attacks.Earlier today, US Central Command reported that a drone attack occurred in the Gulf of Aden, targeting a vessel owned by the United States.
According to X, the attack resulted in some damage, but fortunately, there were no reported injuries. The M/V Genco Picardy is a bulk carrier ship that is flagged in the Marshall Islands and operated by the United States.
The United States has recently designated the Yemen-based Houthi rebels as a terrorist group, following their claim of responsibility for an attack on a US-operated vessel in the Red Sea region, as per Bloomberg.
Despite the sanctions and military strikes, a recent operation conducted by US and British forces targeted over 60 locations in Yemen. However, the Houthis persist in their ongoing campaign of harassment against both commercial and military vessels.
In the most recent incident, a one-way attack drone was deployed from a Houthi-controlled region in Yemen and targeted the Marshall Islands-flagged, US-owned and -operated M/V Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden.
US Warns Iran From Supplying Weapons to Houthis
The US has issued a stern warning to Iran, urging them to stop supplying weapons to the Houthis. During a recent operation, the United States successfully intercepted ballistic missile parts that were being transported to Yemen. Two US Navy SEALs are currently missing after one was swept off the vessel by a wave, with the second SEAL following suit.
According to Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the United States will persist in taking military action to thwart any future attacks. There have been reports of attacks on ships and vessels from over 50 countries, taking advantage of the current situation.
"We will maintain our collaboration with our regional partners to proactively prevent and discourage any potential attacks," Ryder stated.Multiple incidents have occurred following the joint operations on Friday.
Over the weekend, a US Navy destroyer successfully intercepted an anti-ship cruise missile fired by the Houthis. On Monday, a US-owned ship was targeted by the Houthis in the Gulf of Aden, followed by an attack on a Malta-flagged bulk carrier in the Red Sea on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the US took action by targeting and neutralizing four anti-ship ballistic missiles that posed a direct and immediate danger to merchant and US Navy ships in the region. After several hours, the Houthis took credit for the assault on the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Zografia. The ship sustained damage, but fortunately, there were no casualties and it proceeded with its journey, AP News reported.
