The strikes were launched from the Red Sea and hit more than a dozen locations, officials said. The strikes followed the official announcement on Wednesday that the United States had placed the Houthis back on its list of specially designated global terrorists, along with sanctions aimed at cutting off the militant group’s financial resources.
Houthi fighters hold a protest against US and UK strikes in Sanaa, Yemen on January 14, 2024. Photo: AP
The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV channel said on Telegram that the US strikes targeted areas in Dhamar, Hodieda, Taiz, al-Bayda and Saada.
Despite sanctions and military strikes, Houthi forces have continued their campaign of harassment of commercial and military vessels. The latest incident also occurred on Wednesday when a suicide drone launched from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen struck the US-owned and operated M/V Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden. Genco said the crew was unharmed and the ship suffered only minor damage to its pier and was on its way out of the area.
“The naval forces will not hesitate to target all sources of threats in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea under their legitimate right to defend Yemen and continue to support the oppressed Palestinian people,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement.
Earlier Monday, Houthi forces attacked the US-owned and operated Gibraltar Eagle cargo ship with an anti-ship ballistic missile. There were no reports of injuries or significant damage.
On Wednesday, Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said the US would continue to take military action to prevent further attacks.
“They are exploiting this situation to conduct attacks on vessels from more than 50 countries… around the world . So we will continue to work with our partners in the region to prevent those attacks,” General Ryder said.
Hoang Anh (according to AP, CNN, Reuters)
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