The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group keeps targeting U.S. ships in the Red Sea, and Houthi officials continue urging the Americans to depart from the waters in the Middle East Region. Four months of U.S. airstrikes on Houthi sites have not deterred the Yemeni group, and the faceoff between the two sides shows no sign of abating.
The Houthi group claimed on Wednesday to have targeted a U.S. destroyer and Israel-bound ship in the Red Sea. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said naval missiles targeted the U.S. destroyer Mason in the Red Sea, resulting in a direct hit.
According to Saree, another ship was assaulted with missiles and drones after it "violated a ban on vessels" heading to Israel.
He vowed that the Houthi operations against ships heading or coming from Israel will not stop unless the Israeli siege on Gaza is lifted and the war on the Palestinian people is stopped.
Member of the Supreme Political Council, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, said that the presence of the American destroyer Mason in the region's seas "is a violation, crime, and terrorism". He added, "Leave, Mason, for maintenance, as it is best for you."
As the Houthi attacks on the shipping lanes continue nonstop, the U.S. air raids keep hitting sites in Yemen in a bid to degrade the Yemeni group's military capabilities.
On Wednesday, the U.S. destroyed targets in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.
It added, "At approximately 9 p.m. (Sanaa time) on May 14, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed four uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) in an Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled area of Yemen."
The statement indicated that the CENTCOM forces determined that the systems presented an "imminent threat" to U.S. and coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region.
A US Navy aircraft carrier was back in the Red Sea as American intelligence officials warned that the conflict with the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group may go on for a while.
A Navy spokesperson said on Tuesday that the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely were back in the Red Sea to continue their maritime mission.
The spokesperson said the two ships were resupplied and rearmed while their sailors enjoyed relaxing downtime in the Souda Bay. The U.S. intelligence chief Avril Haines said last week the Houthis are "going to remain active for some time" because they continue to produce weaponry domestically and keep receiving support from Iran.
Last week, Yemen's Houthi leadership threatened to expand its attacks on shipping lanes if the Israeli army invaded Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.