The US military said on Wednesday that it had destroyed 7 anti-ship missiles, a missile launcher, and a drone launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
The US Central Command (Centcom) stated that the missiles, launch pad and drone “posed an imminent threat to US commercial and naval vessels in the region.”
A statement published by Centcom on its account on the belonging to the Houthis and a mobile anti-ship ballistic missile launcher that was ready to launch into the Red Sea.”
“In addition, during this time frame… US Central Command forces shot down a one-directional attack drone system in self-defense,” she continued.
She explained that Centcom identified missiles, launchers and drones coming from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen and determined that they represented an imminent threat to commercial ships and US Navy ships in the region.
Centcom concluded by saying that it then struck and destroyed the missiles, launchers, and drones in self-defense, stressing that these measures “will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for the US Navy and commercial ships.”
Earlier Wednesday, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the United States and its partners “will continue to take appropriate measures” to protect navigation in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks.
He added in a statement, “The United States condemns the reckless and indiscriminate attacks carried out by the Houthis on civilian cargo ships. The Houthis are acting like a terrorist organization.”
