US military strikes Houthi missile launchers in Yemen

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US military carried out fresh strikes against missile launchers allegedly used by the Houthi group in Yemen on Wednesday.

"In the context of ongoing multi-national efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on U.S. and partner maritime traffic in the Red Sea, on Jan. 17 at approximately 6 p.m. (EST), U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi controlled areas in Yemen," said CENTCOM.

"These missiles on launch rails presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region and could have been fired at any time, prompting U.S. forces to exercise their inherent right and obligation to defend themselves," it said.

The military said the strikes will degrade the Houthi’s capabilities to continue their reckless attacks on international and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.

"The actions by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists continue to endanger international mariners and disrupt the commercial shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea and adjacent waterways," said General Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM’s commander.

"We will continue to take actions to protect the lives of innocent mariners and we will always protect our people," said Kurilla.

The new strikes come after the Houthi group targeted a US-owned carrier ship, M/V Genco Picardy, in the Gulf of Aden with a drone.

The Houthis say their attacks aim to pressure Israel to halt its deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 24,000 people since an Oct. 7 cross-border offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas.

The US and UK launched airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in recent days in retaliation for the attacks, which have created fears of a new bout of inflation and supply chain disruption.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.