NEW YORK, February 15. /TASS/. The US military launched four strikes on February 14 against anti-ship cruise missiles and drones of Yemen's Houthi rebel movement Ansar Allah, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported.
"On February 14, US CENTCOM forces successfully conducted four self-defense strikes against seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), three mobile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and one explosive unmanned surface vessel (USV) in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen," the statement said.
According to the US military, the rebels were preparing the missiles and drones "to launch against ships in the Red Sea." The US carried out strikes in Yemen during the afternoon and evening of February 14.
With the conflict in the Gaza Strip escalating, the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement announced that it would conduct strikes on Israeli territory and block pro-Israeli vessels from passing through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until Tel Aviv ceases its military operation in the Palestinian enclave. The Houthis have attacked dozens of civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November of last year.
On the night of January 12, US and UK forces launched strikes using aircraft, ships and submarines against Yemeni rebel movement targets in a number of cities, including Sanaa and Hodeidah. The targets included missile sites, UAVs and the Houthis’ radar stations. Several more such operations followed.