Yemen's Iran-backed Huthis have been targeting shipping for months and their attacks have persisted despite repeated American and British strikes aimed at degrading the rebels' ability to threaten a vital global trade route.
Early on Friday, US forces "shot down three Huthi one-way attack (drones) near several commercial ships operating in the Red Sea. There was no damage to any ships," the Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media.
In a statement later in the day, CENTCOM said US forces destroyed "seven Iranian-backed Huthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea."
It said those strikes , carried out between 12:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Sanaa time, were made in self-defense.
"CENTCOM forces identified these missiles in Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region," it said in a statement.
The day prior, American forces struck four Huthi drones as well as two anti-ship cruise missiles, CENTCOM said, adding that the weapons "were prepared to launch from Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen towards the Red Sea."
The Huthis began attacking Red Sea shipping in November, saying they were hitting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, which has been ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war.
US and UK forces responded with strikes against the Huthis, who have since declared American and British interests to be legitimate targets as well.
Anger over Israel's devastating campaign in Gaza -- which began after an unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7 -- has grown across the Middle East, stoking violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
Yemen rebels announce first civilian death in US-UK strikes
Sanaa (AFP) Feb 26, 2024 -
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have reported the first civilian death in US and British air strikes after the latest round of joint raids over the weekend.
One person was killed and eight wounded, the Huthis' official news agency said late on Sunday, a day after US and British forces said they fired on 18 targets across the country.
The US-British strikes were in response to dozens of Huthi drone and missile attacks on Red Sea shipping since November, which the rebels say are in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war.
"The American-British aggression on the district of Maqbana in the governorate of Taiz has left one civilian dead and eight wounded," the Huthis' Saba agency said, citing a statement from the rebel-run health ministry.
The Huthis, who control war-torn Yemen's most populated areas, have previously reported the death of 17 of their fighters in the Western strikes targeting military facilities.
The Huthi attacks have had a significant effect on traffic through the busy Red Sea route, forcing some companies into a two-week detour around southern Africa. Last week, Egypt said Suez Canal revenues were down by up to 50 percent this year.
Washington, Israel's vital ally, gathered an international coalition in December to protect Red Sea traffic. It has launched several rounds of strikes as well as four joint raids with Britain, which began last month.
The Huthis initially said they were targeting Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea and adjoining Gulf of Aden, but then declared that US and British interests were also "legitimate" targets.
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