US destroys Houthi anti-ship missiles.

The U.S. military said it struck a Houthi anti-ship missile in Yemen in "self-defense," as the group was preparing to launch the projectile into the Gulf of Aden.

"U.S. forces determined the missile posed a threat to U.S. cargo and naval vessels in the area, and therefore engaged and destroyed it in self-defense," the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on social media on January 20.

CENTCOM added that the latest airstrike was conducted in the early morning hours in Yemen. This is the fifth US strike targeting Houthi missile launch sites in the past week.

The US military announced on January 19th that it had conducted three airstrikes targeting three Houthi anti-ship missiles in Yemen that the group was preparing to launch into the southern Red Sea.

A US F/A-18E fighter jet takes off from an aircraft carrier in a photo released on January 12. Photo: CENTCOM

Attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi forces on ships in and around the Red Sea over the past several weeks have hampered trade between Asia and Europe and risked escalating regional conflict.

The Houthi group, which controls the capital Sanaa and large areas in western Yemen, said the attack was to show solidarity and support for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been conducting an anti-Hamas campaign since last October.

The U.S. has been conducting airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen since last week and put the group back on its terrorist list this week. President Joe Biden said the U.S. will continue airstrikes even as he acknowledges they may not be able to prevent Houthi attacks.

According to the US military, Houthi forces launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a US-owned oil tanker on January 18. The missiles landed in waters near the ship and caused no damage.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan expressed concern that tensions in the Red Sea region could spiral out of control and escalate into a major conflict.

"Of course we are very worried. We are in a very difficult and dangerous time. That is why we are calling for de-escalation," he said on CNN 's Fareed Zakaria GPS program broadcast today.

Location of the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and Yemen. Graphic: Wikipedia

Thanh Tam (According to Reuters )

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