US Central Command said today its forces destroyed three seaborne drones, an airborne drone and two cruise missiles in Yemen that the Houthi group was preparing to launch on the Red Sea.
The Monday strikes marked the latest effort to counter further Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The US Central Command said in a statement today, “On Feb. 26, between the hours of 4:45 p.m. and 11:45a p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USV), two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in self-defense.”
It added, “CENTCOM forces identified the USVs and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, as well as the UAV over the Red Sea, and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy ships in the region.”
The Houthi media confirmed the strikes, saying “The U.S.-British coalition launched five airstrikes on Yemen's port city Hodeidah on Monday”. According to Houthi sources, the strikes hit the area of Ras Issa in the al-Salif district, northwest of the city. No casualties were reported. Houthi officials did not give details about the sites the strikes hit. But local sources said the strikes hit military facilities in Al-Salif and Ras Issa.
Informed sources previously told Sheba Intelligence that the Red Sea coast and islands, particularly ports of Al-Hudaydah, Al-Salif, Ras Issa, Al-Luhayah, and Kamaran Island remain the first launch center from which ships are attacked.
Today, Sheba Intelligence revealed that the Iranians have begun planning to establish a free economic zone on the Red Sea coast in the Ras Issa of Al-Hudaydah as part of the benefits they will gain from the war in Yemen.
Although Iran's project to establish a free zone on the Red Sea is of economic interest, commercial sources suggested that the project has other hidden military and security goals.
Since November last year, the Houthi group has been launching missile attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in “solidarity” with the Palestinians in Gaza who faced Israeli war.
