Yemen Monitor/Newsroom
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday the destruction of three drones and a support boat in areas controlled by the Houthis in Yemen over the past 24 hours.
In a statement, the command said these systems posed an imminent threat to US forces, coalition forces, and commercial vessels in the region.
It affirmed that it had taken such measures to protect freedom of navigation and to make international waters safer for US and coalition ships and commercial vessels.
Since November, the Houthis have been attacking ships linked to Israeli occupation ,US and British in the Red Sea. By the end of August, the Yemeni group said it had targeted 182 ships.
In February, the EU launched a military operation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden called “Aspides” aimed at combating the growing security threats in the Red Sea, enhancing freedom of navigation, and supporting regional stability. This was in response to repeated Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, which disrupted trade and raised commodity prices.
Since the end of last year, the Houthis have been targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and recently expanded their operations to the Indian Ocean. They said they were targeting ships linked to Israel, which is launching a brutal attack on Gaza Strip. However, the Yemeni government and experts say that the Houthis’ goals are domestic, aimed at escaping the internal crises and improving their image in the region.
In response, the US and Britain have been launching airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi group since January 11. As a result, the Houthis announced the expansion of their operations to include US and British ships.
