U.S. Central Command forces strike multiple Houthi targets in Yemen

The U.S. Central Command reported Tuesday that the U.S. Navy and Air Force had targeted and destroyed a Houthi coastal radar site, seven cruise missiles, and dozens of drones over the Red Sea.

CENTCOM was also able to locate a Houthi command and control facility, weapon production and storage facilities, and a coastal radar site, which had been “used in Houthi operations,” including in attacks against U.S. warships and merchant vessels.

There were no damages or injuries to U.S. personnel or equipment, according to the command.

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam made a statement after the second day of strikes, calling them a “blatant violation of the sovereignty of an independent state.”

The Houthis have been attempting to enforce a naval blockade on Israel by attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea, per Al Jazeera. Iran-backed Houthis consider Israel to be an enemy and have been firing rockets at Israel and hijacking commercial ships in the Red Sea for over a year, according to BBC.

As the University of Navarra described, “Houthis’ tactics have involved firing ballistic missiles and drones against maritime traffic in the Red Sea, as well as forcibly boarding and taking control of ships through the use of helicopters and speedboats.”

However, while the Houthis claimed to attack ships as a naval blockade on Israel, they have launched assaults on ships passing through the Red Sea with no affiliation to Israel.

Roughly 15% of global trade, 10% of oil supply and 8% of liquified natural gas pass through the Red Sea, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The U.S. strikes are “a part of CENTCOM’s effort to degrade Iran-backed Houthi efforts to threaten regional partners and military and merchant vessels in the region,” per Central Command’s press release.