The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the destruction of ten drones and a ground control station for drones of the Houthi Ansar Allah movement that rules northern Yemen.
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“The US Army struck an Iranian-backed Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 unilateral drones,” the report said.
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CENTCOM emphasized that the strikes were carried out in self-defense.
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In mid-November, the Shiite paramilitary Ansar Allah movement, which controls much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and is backed by Iran, began attacking Israeli-linked ships, causing shipping traffic through the Suez Canal to plummet.
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The Houthis said the moves were aimed at helping Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and insisted they did not interfere with freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. Arab and Muslim countries have repeatedly warned the United States that unconditional support for Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip will lead to the spread of the conflict throughout the region.
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The United States, in turn, announced a joint operation with ten other countries to protect shipping and has been striking Houthi targets since mid-January. A member of Ansar Allah’s highest political council, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, called these attacks terrorist barbarity, deliberate and unjustified aggression.
