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US central command forces have conducted strikes against three Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed into the Southern Red Sea and were prepared to launch, the US military has said.
“US forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US navy ships in the region. US forces subsequently struck and destroyed the missiles in self-defence,” US central command said in the post on X.
The incident, the latest amid growing tensions in the Red Sea that have disrupted global trade and raised fears of supply bottlenecks, took place at about 6.45pm on Friday.
[ Houthis say strikes on Red Sea shipping will continue ]
Attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia on ships in and around the Red Sea for the past several weeks have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and alarmed major powers in an escalation of the war in Gaza.
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The Houthis, who control the most populous part of Yemen, say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians under attack from Israel in Gaza.
Later on Saturday, US personnel suffered minor injuries and a member of Iraq’s security forces was seriously wounded in an attack on Iraq’s Ain al-Asad air base, a US official said, citing initial assessments, which are subject to change.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said initial reports indicated that the base was hit by ballistic missiles but left open the possibility the base was hit by rockets, adding an assessment was ongoing.
Since last week, the US has been launching strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and this week returned the militia to a list of “terrorist” groups.
US president Joe Biden said on Thursday that air strikes would continue even as he acknowledged they may not be halting the Houthi attacks.
The confrontation risks an expansion of the conflict beyond Hamas-governed Gaza, where the local health ministry says more than 24,000 people – or more than 1 per cent of Gaza’s 2.3 million population – have been killed in Israel’s assault.
[ US military fires fresh barrage of missiles at Houthi sites in Yemen ]
Israel launched its offensive following October 7th attacks on Israel by Hamas, which Israeli officials say killed 1,200 people.
White House spokesperson John Kirby said Friday’s strikes were the fourth in the past week by the US military against Houthi missile launchers that were prepared to launch attacks.
The Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a US-owned tanker ship late on Thursday that hit the water near the vessel but caused no injuries or damage, according to the US military. – Reuters
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