US military destroys Houthi vessels in Red Sea, rebels retaliate
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In the past 24 hours, U.S. forces have destroyed three Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Saturday.
This action was followed by the Houthis launching three anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Gulf of Aden. There were no injuries or significant damage reported to U.S., coalition, or merchant vessels.
CENTCOM also refuted recent claims by Houthi forces about a successful attack on the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, calling the reports "categorically false," reported Reuters.
Just five days ago, U.S. and British forces conducted at least six airstrikes on Yemen's Hodeidah International Airport and four strikes on Kamaran Island near the port of Salif, according to Al-Masirah TV, a news outlet run by Yemen's Houthi movement. These strikes on Kamaran Island marked the first time since early February that U.S.-led coalition forces targeted the island.
Yemen's internationally recognized government has accused Houthi fighters of using Kamaran Island and Port Salif as launch sites for Red Sea attacks and as storage locations for missiles and drones in salt mines. Two government military sources confirmed this to Reuters.
The narrow stretch of water, approximately 10 kilometers, from the port of Salif to Kamaran Island is a critical route for ships traveling to their next port of call.
Since November, the Houthis, who control Yemen's capital and most populous areas, have been attacking international shipping in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Despite retaliatory actions from the U.S.-British coalition and other navies, the Houthis have intensified their attacks on commercial vessels in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes in recent months.