US military destroys missiles and drones of Houthis in Yemen

US military attacked Houthi targets in Yemen (photo: Getty Images)

On Monday, March 18, the US military attacked areas in Yemen controlled by the Houthis. As a result of the strike, rockets, drones, and containers for storing terrorists’ weapons were destroyed, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM) .

It is noted that the military destroyed seven anti-ship missiles, three drones, and three weapon storage containers.

“It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region,” the statement said.

The Command emphasized that these measures are taken to protect freedom of navigation and ensure the safety of international waters for US Navy ships and commercial vessels.

Attacks by Yemeni Houthis

Since November 2023, Yemen’s Houthis have been regularly attacking commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea with drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles. The first attacks began immediately after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.

In response to numerous attacks, on January 12, the US and the UK launched missile strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen for the first time. Since then, the Western coalition has been regularly targeting terrorist facilities, but they continue to attack commercial vessels.

For example, on March 16, the Houthis fired at a liquefied petroleum gas tanker flying the flag of the Marshall Islands.

On March 12, the Italian destroyer Duilio destroyed two Houthi drones in the Red Sea in self-defense.

That same day, the Houthis struck the container ship Pinocchio in the Red Sea with missiles. It was sailing under the flag of Liberia, owned by the registered company OM-MAR 5 INC in Singapore.