US CENTCOM successfully neutralizes Houthi missile threat in Yemen

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that its forces successfully destroyed an "Iranian-backed Houthi missile and launcher in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen" within the past 24 hours.

This operation was carried out after it was determined that these weapons posed an imminent threat to US and coalition forces, as well as merchant vessels in the region, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media. 

The announcement, made on social media platform X, emphasized that these actions were taken "to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure."

The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has yet to issue a comment through its media outlets regarding this incident.

Simultaneously, Britain's Maritime Trade Operations reported on X that it had received a report of an incident 170 nautical miles east of Aden, Yemen. According to the report, a merchant vessel observed a small explosion near the vessel. The vessel's master confirmed there was no damage and all crew members were safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.

Since November of last year, the Houthi group has been targeting Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, employing ballistic missiles and drones as a show of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In response, the naval coalition of the United States and Britain, stationed in the waters, has targeted Houthi military sites to deter the group. However, this has led to an expansion of Houthi attacks to include US and British naval and merchant ships.

As a result, several shipping companies are now altering their routes to the southern tip of Africa to avoid drone and missile attacks in these increasingly perilous waters.