The US military announced yesterday that it launched a strike against two explosive-laden drones affiliated with the Houthi group in Yemen. This came after new airstrikes by US and British aircraft targeted Houthi positions in Yemen.
The US Central Command in the Middle East stated on the Xinhua platform that its forces carried out a self-defense strike against two drones carrying explosives. It noted that the drones were detected in “areas in Yemen controlled by the Houthis” and the decision was made to destroy them after determining that they posed “an imminent threat to US Navy vessels and commercial ships in the region.”
This is the latest in a series of attacks by the US and Britain against Houthi targets in Yemen since January 12, in response to Houthi attacks on ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea, in support of Palestinians facing Israeli aggression since last October.
Following the US and British attacks, the Houthis announced that American and British interests have also become legitimate targets for them. Reuters reported that the British maritime security company, Ambrey, stated that a British cargo ship sustained minor damage today as a result of a drone attack 57 nautical miles west of the Yemeni port of Al-Hudaydah. The ship suffered minor damages, and no injuries were reported.
On the other hand, media outlets affiliated with the Houthi group reported that three American and British airstrikes targeted areas in eastern Saada during the night, following several consecutive airstrikes in the Al-Kethib area of Al-Hudaydah, resulting in explosions being heard.
Biden’s Statements
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden stated that the Houthi group still poses a threat to launch future attacks on US forces and ships in the Red Sea, as well as on maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
In a message to Congress, Biden stated that the recent strikes against Houthi targets were “conducted in accordance with international law and within the United States’ inherent right of self-defense, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.”
He emphasized that the strikes were carried out to “weaken the group’s ability to launch future attacks and in a manner aimed at reducing the risk of escalation and avoiding civilian casualties.”
