U.S.
US strikes destroy Houthi anti-ship missiles in Southern Red Sea
Stars and Stripes
January 24, 2024
An aircraft prepares to launch from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during flight operations in the Red Sea, Jan. 22, 2024. (Kaitlin Watt/U.S. Navy)
The U.S. military carried out strikes early Wednesday against two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were preparing to launch at targets in the Southern Red Sea, according to U.S. Central Command.
“U.S. forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region,” the command said in a statement.
The airstrikes destroyed both missiles, the statement said.
“This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels,” the command said.
U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have been attacked 151 times by Iranian-linked militants since October, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Monday.
Wednesday’s attack marks the fourth consecutive day of strikes by the United States.
On Tuesday, U.S. forces hit three facilities in Iraq used by Iranian-backed militias in retaliation for recent attacks against American forces in Iraq and Syria.
Airstrikes on Sunday killed three Islamic militants in Somalia. The U.S., along with the United Kingdom and other nations, struck eight targets on Monday in areas of Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels.