The US carried out another round of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, according to three US officials, marking the fourth time the US has struck the Iran-backed rebel group in less than a week.
The US used Tomahawk missiles to target approximately 14 Houthi missile launchers used to attack international shipping lanes, one of the officials said. The Tomahawk missiles were launched from US Navy surface vessels and the USS Florida, a guided missile submarine, another official said.
The US strikes are the latest in a series of actions against the Houthis, following significant US-led strikes last week with the UK, and support from a handful of other allies. They come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and fears that the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza could further spill out into the region.
Hours earlier, the Houthis struck a US-owned and operated vessel for the second time this week. The Iran-backed rebel group used a one-way attack drone to target the M/V Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden, according to US Central Command. No one was injured on board the commercial vessel, Central Command said in a statement. The ship suffered some damage but was able to continue on its way.
On Monday, the Houthis struck another US-owned and operated vessel with an anti-ship ballistic missile in what appeared to be the first such successful attack against a US asset since the group being attacking international shipping lanes in mid-November.
The US has been seeking to avoid major escalation in the region as fears rise over the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza spilling out into the region. And despite the Houthis saying the attacks are in protest of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza — as well as US and coalition forces coming under regular attacks in Iraq and Syria, and Israel and Hezbollah fighting over the Israel-Lebanon border — the Pentagon…
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