NEW DELHI: The United States conducted a self-defense strike against one Iranian-backed Houthi surface-to-air missile, US central command said on Saturday.
It said that CENTCOM forces identified the Iranian-backed missile that was prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen towards the Red Sea and determined it presented an imminent threat to US aircraft in the region.
“At 10:46 p.m. (Sanaa time), the Houthis launched one anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) from Yemen into the Red Sea. There was no impact or damage to any vessels,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea region have been one indication of the Middle East’s growing conflict since Israel and Hamas went to war following the extremist Palestinian group’s lethal attack on Israel on October 7.
The Houthis, who rule the most populated areas of Yemen, claim that they are attacking in support of the Palestinian people in response to Israel’s attacks on Gaza. However, the United States and its allies describe them as indiscriminate and a threat to international trade.
Major shipping companies have mostly abandoned the vital commerce route in favour of lengthier routes around Africa due to the rising unrest in the Red Sea. Costs have gone up as a result, adding to concerns about worldwide inflation and depriving Egypt of vital foreign exchange earnings from shippers travelling via the Suez Canal to and from the Red Sea.
It said that CENTCOM forces identified the Iranian-backed missile that was prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen towards the Red Sea and determined it presented an imminent threat to US aircraft in the region.
“At 10:46 p.m. (Sanaa time), the Houthis launched one anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) from Yemen into the Red Sea. There was no impact or damage to any vessels,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea region have been one indication of the Middle East’s growing conflict since Israel and Hamas went to war following the extremist Palestinian group’s lethal attack on Israel on October 7.
The Houthis, who rule the most populated areas of Yemen, claim that they are attacking in support of the Palestinian people in response to Israel’s attacks on Gaza. However, the United States and its allies describe them as indiscriminate and a threat to international trade.
Major shipping companies have mostly abandoned the vital commerce route in favour of lengthier routes around Africa due to the rising unrest in the Red Sea. Costs have gone up as a result, adding to concerns about worldwide inflation and depriving Egypt of vital foreign exchange earnings from shippers travelling via the Suez Canal to and from the Red Sea.