On Sunday, Houthi fighters and tribesmen gathered for a rally expressing their opposition to the recent U.S. and U.K. airstrikes targeting military sites under Houthi control near Sanaa, Yemen, as reported by The Associated Press.
In a series of recent developments, the U.S. military executed additional missile strikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, marking the fourth direct targeting within days. The move comes in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas conflict, as the violence spills over into the Middle East.
This military action followed the formal re-inclusion of the Houthis on the U.S. list of specially designated global terrorists. The designation carries sanctions aimed at cutting off financial support to violent extremist groups. U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, shared details not yet made public.
U.S. Central Command (Centcom) reported conducting strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles loaded for firing in Yemen. According to Centcom's statement on X (formerly Twitter), these strikes aimed to neutralize an imminent threat and degrade the Houthis' capabilities to target international and commercial shipping.
Despite sanctions and previous military operations hitting over 60 targets in Yemen, the Houthis persist in harassing commercial and military ships. In the latest incident, a one-way attack drone launched from a Houthi-controlled area struck the U.S.-owned M/V Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden.
The U.S. has issued a stern warning to Iran to halt its weapon supply to the Houthis. In a separate incident, a U.S. raid on a sailing vessel intercepted ballistic missile parts destined for Yemen. Two U.S. Navy SEALs are missing after one was knocked off the vessel during the seizure.
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder emphasized the U.S.'s commitment to take military action to prevent further attacks. Ryder highlighted the Houthis' exploitation of the situation to conduct attacks on ships from over 50 countries worldwide. Since the joint operations on Friday, several incidents have occurred, including the Houthis firing a cruise missile at a U.S. Navy destroyer, which was successfully shot down.
The series of events also included Houthi attacks on a U.S.-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden and a Malta-flagged bulk carrier in the Red Sea. In response, the U.S. targeted four anti-ship ballistic missiles prepared for launch, posing an imminent threat to merchant and U.S. Navy ships in the region. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Zografia, though no injuries were reported, and the ship continued its journey.
