The U.S. military has destroyed three unmanned surface vessels, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and a combat drone of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, the U.S. Central Command said.

The destruction of vessels, cruise missiles, and combat drone was part of its navigation safety mission in the Red Sea,

“On February 26, between the hours of 4:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. (Sanaa time) (13:45 – 20:45 GMT), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (U.S.V).

“(CENTCOM also destroyed) two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in self-defence,” the command said in a statement on X on Monday.

The vessels and missiles were located in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, while the drone was over the Red Sea.

CENTCOM assessed them as presenting “an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region.”

The Houthi movement, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip.

This led U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea.

U.S. and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels’ ability to target commercial vessels.

(Sputnik/NAN)