Washington, US, Feb 5 (EFE).- The United States military said on Monday that it conducted strikes against two unmanned Houthi vessels in Yemen that posed threats to navigation in the Red Sea.
A UN vehicle is at park outside Houthis-held Foreign Ministry headquarters in Sana’a, Yemen, 05 February 2024. EFE-EPA/YAHYA ARHAB
“On Feb. 5, at approximately 3:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), US Central Command forces conducted a strike in self-defense against two Houthi explosive uncrewed surface vehicles (USV),” the military said in an X post.
USVs are vessels that operate on the surface of water without a crew on board. In this case, the US military gave no details about the damage caused to the drones.
“US forces identified the explosive USVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.”
The military said these strikes “in self-defense” would protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy vessels and merchant vessels.
On Monday, the Houthis condemned a new round of bombings launched by the US and the United Kingdom against the port city of al-Hodeida, on the coast of the Red Sea, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his Middle East tour.
Blinken landed in Saudi Arabia as part of his fifth tour of the Middle East to secure a truce and the release of the hostages in the Gaza Strip, as well as to try to prevent the conflict from spreading in the region.
The US and the UK carried out a new large-scale operation against Houthi positions in Yemen over the weekend, hitting 36 targets in 13 different locations.
The US also bombed different enclaves of pro-Iranian militias in Syria and Iraq on Friday, following the deaths of three American soldiers on Jan. 28 in a drone attack on a military base in Jordan.
“Although we continue to evaluate, we currently assess that we had good effects and that the strikes destroyed or functionally damaged more than 80 targets at the seven facilities. The number of casualties is still being assessed,” Pentagon spokesperson General Pat Ryder said.
The spokesperson said US forces were attacked twice since the strikes on Friday, but no damage was done.
“We have consistently communicated to the Iraqis and others that we reserve the right to defend our personnel from attacks by Iranian-backed militants in Iraq, which is what you saw on Friday.”
The involvement of the US in the Middle East has sparked concerns about the potential escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Several Arab nations have cautioned that these interventions may lead to disastrous repercussions. EFE
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