US strikes Huthi uncrewed surface vessels in Yemen

CALIFORNIA

The U.S. military said Monday it had struck explosive uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) operated by Huthi rebels in Yemen, days after a wave of joint strikes with Britain aimed at stopping continued attacks on international shipping.

"U.S. forces identified the explosive USVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region," Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

The strikes against the two USVs, essentially explosive-laden drone boats, were carried out at 3:30 pm local time (1230 GMT), CENTCOM said, and follow repeated unilateral and joint actions taken by the United States against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels, whose attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in war-battered Gaza have disrupted global trade.

American forces also carried out air strikes against five missiles in Yemen on Sunday — one designed for land attack and the others for targeting ships, the US military said.

Late Saturday, U.S. and U.K. forces carried out their third wave of joint strikes, which hit 36 Huthi targets across 13 locations, according to a statement by the United States, Britain and other countries that provided support for the operation.

Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the next day that "these attacks will not deter us from our... stance in support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."

The Huthis began targeting Red Sea shipping in November, saying they were hitting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, which has been ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war.

In addition to strikes against the Huthis, the United States set up a multinational naval task force aimed at protecting shipping on the transit route, which carries up to 12 percent of global trade.