U.S. Military Targets Loaded Missiles In Fourth Set Of Strikes Against Houthis

Topline

U.S. forces carried out another set of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen late on Wednesday—its fourth in the past week—hours after the State Department redesignated the Iran-backed militia as a terrorist group.

FILE PHOTO: The U.S. Military carried out a fourth round of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen … [+] on Wednesday.

Anadolu via Getty Images

Key Facts

The U.S. Central Command said in a statement its forces struck 14 missiles “that were loaded to be fired” from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.

CENTCOM said the launch-ready missiles were targeted as they presented an “imminent threat” to commercial shipping and U.S. Navy vessels in the Red Sea region.

The statement added that the latest strikes, along with earlier interventions, will “degrade” the Iran-backed group’s ability to continue targeting international shipping in the region.

The strikes were carried out late on Wednesday, just before midnight local time, the statement added.

Crucial Quote

CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla said of the strikes: “The actions by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists continue to endanger international mariners and disrupt the commercial shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea and adjacent waterways…We will continue to take actions to protect the lives of innocent mariners and we will always protect our people.”

Key Background

Earlier on Wednesday, the State Department redesignated the Houthis a terrorist group, nearly three years after the Biden administration removed that identification. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” label for the Houthis was a result of their “unprecedented attacks” against international shipping in the Red Sea region. Blinken added that if the Houthis cease their attack on shipping in the region, the U.S. “will reevaluate this designation.” The terrorist designation limits the Houthis’ access to the global financial system and gives Washington more flexibility to target the militant group. Over the past week, U.S. forces have carried out three other strikes targeting Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, but this has failed to dissuade the group from continuing its attacks on shipping in the region. The Houthis have said their attacks are a response to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.