American fighter jets strike, destroy Houthi anti-ship missiles in Yemen: CENTCOM

American fighter jets carried out more strikes against Yemen’s Houthis on Tuesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said, less than a week after the first US military operations in the wartorn country in years.

The Houthis targeted and struck a US-owned and operated container ship on Monday. In response, US forces struck and destroyed four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles.

“These missiles were prepared to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and presented an imminent threat to both merchant and US Navy ships in the region,” a US defense official said earlier in the day.

The Houthis, who control most of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, have claimed their attacks on commercial ships are aimed at supporting the Palestinians in Israel’s war in Gaza.

The Houthis have pledged to expand its targets in the Red Sea region to include US ships and has vowed to keep up attacks after US and British forces carried out dozens of strikes last week against radar and missile capabilities. Some experts believe they welcome a conflict with the United States and its allies.

A Malta-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier was targeted and hit by a missile while northbound in the Red Sea 76 nautical miles northwest of the Yemeni port of Saleef, a security firm said on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Gibraltar Eagle’s US-based operator Eagle Bulk Shipping said it was hit by an “unidentified projectile” while sailing 100 miles (160 km) off the Gulf of Aden. The attack caused a fire in a hold of the vessel, which was carrying steel products, but no injuries, and the ship was continuing on its way, it said.

Container vessels have been pausing or diverting from the Red Sea that leads to the Suez Canal, the fastest freight route from Asia to Europe. Many ships have been forced to take the longer route via the Cape of Good Hope instead.