Over the past 24 hours, US forces have destroyed seven drones and a control station vehicle in areas of Yemen controlled by the Huthis<\/a>, according to a statement released by the US Central Command on social media platform X.
The strikes were carried out in response to an imminent threat to US coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region posed by the drones and vehicles.
Since November 2023, the Iran-backed Huthis have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Huthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for attacks on four vessels on Friday, including a “direct hit” on the Delonix tanker in the Red Sea using ballistic missiles.
However, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that five missiles were fired in “close proximity” to the Delonix, which reported no damage.
The tanker was located approximately 150 nautical miles (277 kilometers) northwest of the Huthi-controlled port of Hodeida at the time of the attack.
The Huthis also claimed attacks on the Waler oil tanker and Johannes Maersk container ship in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the Ioannis bulk carrier in the Red Sea.
In December, the United States announced a maritime security initiative to protect Red Sea shipping from Huthi attacks, which have forced commercial vessels to divert from the route that normally carries 12 percent of global trade.
CENTCOM<\/a> stated that the strike on Friday was carried out “to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.”
They added: ” This continued malign and reckless behaviour by the Iranian-backed Huthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”
The attacks have caused insurance costs to increase significantly for vessels transiting the Red Sea, leading many shipping firms to take the much longer route around the southern tip of Africa instead.<\/div>\n