ALBAWABA - The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced through an X post that a fighter jet has shot down an anti-ship cruise missile from Houthi areas in Yemen.
"On Jan. 14 at approximately 4:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), an anti-ship cruise missile was fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon (DDG 58), which was operating in the Southern Red Sea," CENTCOM said in the post.
"The missile was shot down in the vicinity of the coast of Hudaydah by U.S. fighter aircraft. There were no injuries or damage reported" the post added.
The attack is the first by the Houthis that the US has acknowledged since Friday when America and its allies launched strikes on the Houthis following weeks of attacks on Red Sea ships.
Throughout the Israeli war on Gaza, the Houthis have targeted the critical corridor that connects Asian and Middle Eastern energy and cargo shipments to the Suez Canal and then to Europe, attacks that threaten to escalate the conflict into a regional war.
This comes after the U.S. and UK launched strikes aimed at reducing the Houthis' military capabilities, which have been attacking Red Sea cargo ships. On Friday, the U.S. and UK targeted nearly 30 locations in Yemen, including arms depots, logistical hubs, and air defense systems.
The U.S. followed up on Saturday with another strike on a Houthi radar site. U.S. President Joe Biden has said he would not "hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary".
Since 19 November, they have carried out at least 27 attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, a major route for global maritime trade. The group has said it was targeting vessels heading to, or owned by, Israel, as an act of solidarity with the people of Gaza BBC reported.
