US forces strike Houthi anti-ship cruise missile in Red Sea to secure International waters

The US carried out an attack on a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile on Sunday(January 4) that was ready to be launched against ships in the Red Sea, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

“On Feb. 4, at approximately 4 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces conducted a strike in self-defense against a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea,” CENTCOM wrote on ‘X’.

The US forces discovered the cruise missile in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, according to CENTCOM, and concluded that it posed an immediate threat to US Navy ships as well as merchant boats operating in the vicinity.
“This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy vessels and merchant vessels,” it said.

Recently, fighter planes and other air and surface forces from the US and the UK attacked Houthi facilities in Yemen.

According to two US sources, 30 targets were struck overall at at least 10 distinct locations, CNN said.

One official stated that the targets include weapons used by the Houthis to attack international commerce networks, an underground weapons storage facility, and command and control.

"Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats," the US and UK said in a joint statement with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand, according to CNN.