Yemen Monitor/News Section
US Central Command announced on Friday that its forces destroyed eight drones and two unmanned boats in the Red Sea that were launched on Thursday from areas controlled by the Houthis in Yemen.
US Central Command said that the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile in the Red Sea, but caused no casualties or damage.
On Thursday, the British maritime security company (AMBRY) said a commercial vessel reported an explosion near it in the Red Sea about 19 nautical miles west of the Yemeni city of Mocha.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also said it had received reports of two explosions near a ship 27 nautical miles south of Mocha.
In a statement, it confirmed that it had not received reports of any damage to the ship, and that the ship’s crew was safe and had sailed to the next port.
Since November, the Houthis have targeted more than 120 commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and have recently expanded their operations to the Indian Ocean.
They say they are targeting ships linked to Israel due to the Israeli brutal attack on Gaza Strip. However, the Yemeni government and experts say the Houthis’ goals are domestic aiming to escape internal crises and improve their image in the region.
In response, the United States and Britain have been carrying out an airstrike campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi group since January 11. As a result, the Houthis have announced the expansion of their operations to include US and British ships
