Aircraft joins strikes against Houthis
Aircraft joins strikes against HouthisReuters

The US Army continued its attacks on Houthi targets in the Red Sea on Monday.

In a statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USV), two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in self-defense.

“The USV and ASCM weapons were prepared to launch towards, and the UAV was over, the Red Sea,” the statement said.

“CENTCOM forces identified the USVs and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, as well as the UAV over the Red Sea, and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy and merchant vessels,” it added.

The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have upped their attacks on vessels since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

In the wake of the uptick in Houthi attacks, the US formed a coalition, made up of more than 20 countries, aimed at safeguarding commercial traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis.

In mid-January, with support from other countries, the US and Britain targeted just under 30 Houthi locations with 150 different weapons. The two countries have continued to strike Houthi targets since.

The Houthis have been unfazed by the strikes and have vowed to continue to target ships in the Red Sea.

On Sunday,Iran took issue with US and British strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, saying they were seeking to "escalate tensions and crises" in the region.