By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON (AA) - The Biden administration strongly rejected reports Thursday that Yemen's Houthi rebels have a hypersonic missile after the group claimed it has "surprises" in store for the US and its allies.
Russia's RIA Novosti news agency published a report Thursday that claimed the Houthis have such a weapon in their arsenal.
"Look, on the hypersonic thing, those reports are inaccurate. There's absolutely no indication that the Houthis have access to a hypersonic weapon. So, I can walk you off of that," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
The Houthis have been targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea they said are owned or operated by Israeli companies, or are transporting goods to and from Israel, for months.
They said the campaign is aimed at putting pressure on Israel to halt its ongoing war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments and is a critical waterway for naval commerce.
In December, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the creation of a multinational mission, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to counter the Houthi attacks. While no US or allied naval forces have been struck by Houthi missile and drone attacks, several commercial ships have been damaged or sunk.