US successfully eliminates Houthi anti-ship missile threat

The US Navy successfully neutralized an anti-ship missile in Houthi-held territory in Yemen on Saturday, according to a statement from US Central Command. The missile system, which was aimed towards the Red Sea, posed an immediate threat to ships in the area.

The strike was carried out shortly after the Iran-backed rebel group claimed responsibility for attacking an oil tanker, the Marlin Luanda, which was transporting Russian-originated fuel.

The US Central Command Forces confirmed that they had identified the missile in Houthi-controlled areas and destroyed it in self-defense to protect merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region.

This incident is part of a series of attacks by Houthi militants on ships in the Red Sea, which they claim is in support of Palestinians during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

On Friday, the USS Carney and a British oil tanker were both attacked in the Gulf of Aden, resulting in a fire. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

These attacks have raised concerns about the continued use of Red Sea shipping lanes by international operators.

The decline in oil tanker traffic in this busy waterway, due to Houthi attacks and recent airstrikes by the US and UK, could potentially pose a threat to international trade. However, according to a spokesman for the Houthis, Russian or Chinese-flagged ships will not be targeted as part of their campaign against US and UK vessels.

Despite the recent airstrikes by the US and UK on Houthi targets, the latest attacks indicate that the rebel group’s capabilities to threaten ships in the Red Sea have not been significantly reduced. US Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer emphasized that deterrence is a gradual process and efforts are being made to eliminate the stockpiles that enable frequent attacks. In addition, Yemen’s Al-Masirah television station reported that the strikes targeted Ras Issa, the country’s primary oil export terminal.