US strikes Yemen missiles that posed threat to ships

It is at least the third time in less than a week that the United States hascarried out strikes against the Huthis, who have repeatedly taken aim atmerchant vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping lane -- attacks the rebels sayare in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling militantgroup Hamas, reports BSS.
"US forces struck and destroyed four Huthi anti-ship ballistic missiles," theUS Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.
"These missiles were prepared to launch from Huthi-controlled areas of Yemenand presented an imminent threat to both merchant and US Navy ships in theregion," CENTCOM said.
The United States and Britain targeted nearly 30 sites in Yemen with morethan 150 munitions last week, while American forces later attacked a Huthiradar site in what was described as "a follow-on action" related to theprevious strikes.
The rebels have declared US and British interests "legitimate targets," andhave continued attacks against ships in the Red Sea.
CENTCOM said the Huthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile intointernational shipping lanes on Tuesday, and that a Maltese-flagged bulkcarrier reported that it was hit but remained seaworthy.
- Weapons seizure -
The military command also said Tuesday that American forces seized Iranian-made missile parts en route to the Huthis from a boat in the Arabian Sea inan operation last week.
"This is the first seizure of lethal, Iranian-supplied advanced conventionalweapons (ACW) to the Huthis since the beginning of Huthi attacks againstmerchant ships in November 2023," CENTCOM said.
The United States set up a multinational naval task force last month toprotect Red Sea shipping from the Huthis, who are endangering a transit routethat carries up to 12 percent of global trade, and US forces have repeatedlyintercepted missiles and drones fired from Yemen in recent weeks.
The Huthis say they have been targeting Israeli-linked vessels, butWashington says dozens of countries have connections to ships that have beenattacked.
The latest round of the Israel-Hamas conflict began when the Palestinianmilitant group carried out a shock cross-border attack from Gaza on October 7that resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people, most of them civilians,according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
Following the attack, the United States rushed military aid to Israel, whichhas carried out a relentless campaign in Gaza that has killed at least24,285, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
Those deaths have sparked widespread anger in the Middle East and provided animpetus for attacks by armed groups across the region that are opposed toIsrael.
US forces in Iraq and Syria have also repeatedly come under fire from droneand rocket attacks that Washington says are being carried out by Iran-backedarmed groups.