The U.S. Central Command said early Saturday its forces struck an anti-ship missile it said was in Houthi-held territory and "aimed into the Red Sea and which was prepared to launch."
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, CENTCOM said U.S. forces destroyed the missile in self-defense after it determined that the "missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen" presented "an imminent threat" to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.
Earlier Friday, the USS Carney was targeted by a Houthi missile as it patrolled in the Gulf of Aden. The destroyer shot down the missile, but it was the first time a U.S. warship was targeted by the Yemen-based rebels.
The Marlin Luanda, an oil tanker, was hit by a missile Friday evening, causing a fire. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the rebels used "a number of appropriate naval missiles, the strike was direct."
CENTCOM reported that the British oil tanker issued a distress call and reported damage. The USS Carney responded, along with other ships, to offer assistance. No injuries have been reported, according to CENTCOM, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Finally on Friday, a Panama-flagged, India-affiliated oil products tanker reported that two missiles exploded in the water as it sailed in the Red Sea near Yemen. No damage or injuries were reported.
The Friday attacks come after a week in which Britain and the United States launched a new round of strikes targeting the Iran-backed rebel sites in Yemen. The U.S. military said the attacks hit radar installations, missile launch sites and, most significantly, an underground weapons storage facility.
The Houthis have been attacking commercial and military vessels operating in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November. They say they launched the attacks in support of Palestinians who are embroiled in an ongoing conflict with Israel.
The U.S. says the Houthis have disrupted international supply chains and infringed on navigational rights and freedoms.
