According to the United States Central Command, the United States has taken action in response to the Houthis firing two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea. In total, six defense strikes have been carried out and 18 anti-ship missiles have been fired by the United States.
According to CENTCOM, the Houthis, who are supported by Iran, launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles from areas under their control into the Red Sea. The target of these missiles was the Pinocchio, a merchant vessel owned by Singapore and flagged under Liberia. The missile strikes took place between 8:50 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. local time on Monday.
CENTCOM has reported that the vessel was not impacted by the missiles, and there were no injuries or damage reported.
In response to the initial strikes, the United States Central Command took action by conducting six self-defense strikes. These strikes targeted an unmanned underwater vessel and destroyed 18 anti-ship missiles in areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthi rebels. The operation was carried out between 2:50 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. following the initial strikes. CENTCOM provided detailed information about their operation.
Officials stated that the weapons were deemed to be an immediate danger to both merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region. They emphasized that these actions were necessary in order to safeguard the freedom of navigation and enhance the safety and security of international waters for the U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.
The Houthi rebels initially presented the initial attacks as a means to exert pressure on Israel, hoping to bring an end to the ongoing war that followed the Oct. 7 terror attacks. However, despite shippers avoiding the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, the rebel strikes persisted.
The Houthi fire has been met with a strong response from U.S. and coalition warships, who have been actively shooting it down. Unfortunately, this has led to the Houthis shifting their focus to commercial ships, which have been left with minimal protection.
The U.S. military claims that it has successfully neutralized over 100 Houthi missiles through its airstrikes since January. However, despite the U.S. efforts, the relentless barrage of missiles from the Houthi rebels continues unabated.
