In the past week, the United States executed its fourth set of strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. This action was a response to the Houthis’ continuous targeting of commercial ships, as confirmed by a U.S. official to CBS News. The recent strikes were aimed at locations set to initiate attacks.
These strikes were first noted by local sources on social media. According to the U.S. Central Command, the targets included 14 missiles backed by Iran, ready to be launched from Houthi-controlled areas. These missiles posed an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.
A U.S. owned commercial vessel was hit by the Houthis, causing damage but no injuries. This incident is part of a series of Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which have been ongoing since November 19. The attacks seem to be a direct challenge to the U.S. retaliatory strikes.
Initially, the U.S. and U.K., with support from other nations, targeted nearly 30 sites using over 150 types of munitions. Subsequently, the U.S. conducted two more strikes, one against a Houthi radar site and another destroying four anti-ship ballistic missiles.
Despite these efforts, the Houthis, supported by Iran, vow to continue their assaults. They claim these attacks are a protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza, but U.S. officials state that many targeted ships have no ties to Israel.
Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder acknowledged that while the strikes have weakened the Houthis’ capabilities, they still retain some ability to carry out attacks. The Biden administration is working to prevent the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, but there’s been a constant series of attacks by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, along with Houthi actions against ships. See clip here.
