The U.S. Central Command stated on Sunday that U.S. forces destroyed 3 drone boats belonging to the Houthis in the Red Sea in the past 24 hours. Additionally, the Central Command noted that the Houthis launched 3 anti-ship ballistic missiles towards the Gulf of Aden, but the U.S.-led coalition and commercial shipping did not report any injuries or significant damage.
The statement added, "It has been determined that these weapons pose an imminent threat to the United States, coalition forces, and commercial vessels in the region. These actions are being taken to protect the freedom of navigation and make international waters safer for U.S. and coalition vessels and commercial shipping."
The Central Command denied recent Houthi claims of successfully attacking the U.S. aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, describing it as "a complete lie." The U.S. military statement on "X" said, "This ongoing malicious and reckless behavior by Iran-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of sailors in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis claim to be acting on behalf of the Palestinians in Gaza; however, they threaten and kill innocent civilians unrelated to the Gaza conflict."
The statement continued: "U.S. Central Command will continue to work with partners to hold the Houthis accountable and impair their military capabilities." The Houthis have also threatened to expand their attacks to the Mediterranean Sea, claiming to support the Gaza Strip, which has been under devastating Israeli warfare since October 7.
These aggressions have already forced commercial companies to take longer and more costly routes around Africa. Concerns have been heightened that the war between Israel and Hamas could destabilize the Middle East. Meanwhile, U.S. aircraft have conducted dozens of strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen and have been able to intercept many missiles and drones launched at commercial shipping.
