The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesday that the United States military has carried out strikes on 14 Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired at "any time" in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen and presented an "imminent threat" to merchant vessels and US navy ships in the region.
Media reported earlier in the day, citing a US official, that the US had launched another round of strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen, including sites where the Houthis were preparing to launch new attacks.
"In the context of ongoing multi-national efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on US and partner maritime traffic in the Red Sea, on Jan. 17 at approximately 6 pm (EST) [23:00 GMT], US Central Command forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. These missiles on launch rails presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region and could have been fired at any time, prompting US forces to exercise their inherent right and obligation to defend themselves," CENTCOM said on X.
CENTCOM added that the US strikes "will degrade the Houthi’s capabilities to continue their reckless attacks on international and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden."
The command quoted USCENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla as saying that the US military "will continue to take actions to protect the lives of innocent mariners, and we will always protect our people," adding that the Houthis' actions "continue to endanger international mariners and disrupt the commercial shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea and adjacent waterways."