United States claims to have neutralized Houthi air defense and drone systems in Red Sea region
WASHINGTON—The U.S. military stated on Monday that it had neutralized air defense and drone systems belonging to Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces in the Red Sea area, without causing any injuries or damage to commercial, U.S., and coalition vessels.
The U.S. Central Command disclosed on X that its forces had eliminated an air defense system with two ready-to-launch missiles, a ground control station situated in Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen, and an unmanned aerial system launched by the Houthis from Yemen over the Red Sea.
Yemen’s Houthi extremists declared on Sunday that they had directed rockets and drones at British, American, and Israeli ships, marking the latest in a series of attacks on shipping vessels in support of Palestinians in the Gaza conflict.
The U.S. Central Command also noted on Sunday that an anti-ship ballistic missile had been fired from a Houthi-controlled zone in Yemen towards the Gulf of Aden, with no harm reported to U.S., coalition, or commercial vessels.
The ongoing Houthi assaults have led to disruptions in global shipping operations through the Suez Canal, compelling companies to reroute their shipments via longer and more costly routes around southern Africa. Both the United States and Britain have carried out strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
The Houthis, who govern the most densely populated regions of Yemen, characterize their actions as a reaction to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and a demonstration of solidarity with the Palestinians.
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