The US has launched a new strike against a Houthi target in Yemen.
A statement from US Central Command said: “This strike was conducted by the USS Carney using Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and was a follow-on action on a specific military target associated with strikes taken on 12 January designed to degrade the Houthi’s ability to attack maritime vessels, including commercial vessels.
“Since 19 November 2023, Iranian-backed Houthi militants have attempted to attack and harass vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden 28 times.
“These illegal incidents include attacks that have employed anti-ship ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles.
“These strikes have no association with and are separate from Operation Prosperity Guardian, a defensive coalition of over 20 countries operating in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden.”
On Friday American and British planes, ships and submarines launched dozens of airstrikes across Yemen in retaliation against Iran-backed Houthi forces.
Following the initial strikes there were reports “suspicious” small boats had approached merchant ships in the region.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of two small boats following a vessel for more than an hour.
No weapons were seen, but the “suspicious approach” happened in an area 80 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, according to the agency.
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Meanwhile, two US Navy sailors have been reported missing at sea while conducting operations off the coast of Somalia.
A statement from US Central Command said: “Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing to locate the two sailors.
“For operational security purposes, we will not release additional information until the personnel recovery operation is complete.
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US and UK strikes on Yemen explained
“The sailors were forward-deployed to the US 5th Fleet (C5F) area of operations supporting a wide variety of missions.”
The pair went missing on 11 January.
On Friday, the US Navy warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours.
The warning in a notice to shippers came as Yemen’s Houthis vowed fierce retaliation for the US-led strikes, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel’s war in Gaza.
US military and White House officials said they expected the Houthis to try to strike back.
