ALBAWABA - Yemeni officials told Reuters that US-UK airstrikes on port cities and small towns in western Yemen killed at least 11 people and injured at least 14. It is believed that these sites are Houthi-controlled sites.
US Central Command (Centcom) said it conducted six strikes on Monday, claiming to have destroyed an unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles in Houthi-controlled regions.
CENTCOM said that these weapons posed an urgent threat to merchant boats and US Navy ships in the region. These efforts are being made to maintain freedom of navigation and make international seas safer and more secure for the United States Navy and trade ships.
The Houthis have been targeting merchant vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been suffering under the brutal Israeli aggression since October 7.
Yahya Saree, Houthi military spokesperson, said on Tuesday that they would increase attacks during the holy month of Ramadan in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Saree also stated that the "US ship Pinocchio" was targeted with missiles in the Red Sea. CENTCOM stated in their statement that the missiles "did not impact the vessel and there were no injuries or damage reported".
Equasis and the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) public databases show that the Pinocchio is a Liberian-flagged container ship owned by a Singapore-registered firm.
Monday's strikes come only days after the first civilian deaths and vessel losses were reported since the Houthis launched their campaign of attacks on commercial shipping lines in the Red Sea in retaliation for the people of Gaza back in November.
Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel
Palestinian fighters “infiltrated” Israel from the Gaza Strip captured military bases and took hostages as photos and videos went viral online showing Hamas fighters on vehicles inside Israel and others paragliding into occupation territory.
In response, Israeli armed forces announced targeting Hamas positions inside the Gaza Strip. Thousands were killed, and dozens of thousands of others were injured in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
