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Yemen monitor / Marib / private:
US forces operating near Yemeni Seaboards are no longer waiting for the Houthis to carry out their attacks, but are targeting missiles before they are launched, in a tactical shift aimed for more pressure on them.
In one week, the United States carried out six airstrikes in Yemen which cosidered to be the third tactical shift of the United States and its forces near Yemeni waters. For several weeks, the American response has been to intercept missiles and drones, without direct operations towards the Houthis attacks. Then after December 31 the situation changed , when the US helicopter killed 10 Houthis’ fighters on sea boats in the Red Sea.
The Houthis retaliated by attacks targeting the US Navy on January 9th, while The United States with the participation of Britain and the support of 11 other countries responded by attacking targets in five provinces within Yemeni mainland on January 11.
Houthis continued targeting ships related to or en route to Israel, while the United States was responding by targeting areas from which naval ballistic missiles and drones were launched.
On Wednesday, the United States revealed of it’s preemptive attacks that targeted sites and launch pads of missiles and drones that were ready to be launched towards international navigation.
On Friday, the White House reported that: the US forces carried out three successful self-defense strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen as the fourth preventive operation taken by the US military in the past week against Houthi anti-ship missile launchers that were ready to be launched.
The strikes came a day after President Joe Biden announced that US military operations had not deterred the Houthis from launching attacks in the region, but he would continue launching airstrikes.
On Friday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that: there are additional available options against the Houthis in Yemen, one of which is continuing military operations.
For weeks, the waterway has been a scene for the Houthis attacks , who declared that they are supporting Gaza by targeting Israeli ships . However, the Americans say that many of the attacks involved non-Israeli ships, which prompted major shipping companies to divert their ships to alternative routes.
