US military says it destroyed Houthi missiles in pre-emptive strikes

A mock missile is carried by university students during a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on Jan. 31, 2024, to show support for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the recent Houthi strikes on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. (REUTERS/File Photo)
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  • US forces conduct four self-defense strikes against the Houthi missiles

RIYADH: American forces operating in the Red Sea have destroyed seven anti-ship missiles, one missile launcher and a drone originating from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the US military said early Thursday.

In a statement on the X platform, the Central Command said its forces conducted four self-defense strikes against the Houthi missiles between 12 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), on Feb. 21, as they were prepared to launch towards targets in the Red Sea.

"A one-way attack unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was also shot in self-defense by CENTCOM forces," the statement said.

It  added that the missiles, launchers and UAS were identified to originate from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the US Navy ships in the region."