WASHINGTON (AP) — The U. S. military on Wednesday introduced a new wave of missile strikes from opposing ships and submarines on Houthi-controlled sites, U. S. officials said. The trail of war between Israel and Hamas continues throughout the Middle East.
The measures follow the official announcement that the United States has put the Houthis back on the list of globally designated terrorists. The sanctions that accompany this official designation are intended to isolate violent extremist teams from their funding resources.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to address major points that have not yet been made public.
Despite the sanctions and military strikes, including a large-scale operation Friday carried out by U.S. and British warships and warplanes that hit more than 60 targets across Yemen, the Houthis are continuing their harassment campaign of commercial and military ships. The latest incident occurred Wednesday when a one-way attack drone was launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned and -operated M/V Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden.
The U.S. has also strongly warned Iran to cease providing weapons to the Houthis. On Thursday a U.S. raid on a dhow intercepted ballistic missile parts the U.S. said Iran was shipping to Yemen. Two U.S. Navy SEALs remain unaccounted for after one was knocked off the vessel by a wave during the seizure and the second followed the overcome SEAL into the water.
On Wednesday, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U. S. would continue to take military action to prevent further attacks.
There have been several incidents since the Friday joint operations. The Houthis fired an anti-ship cruise missile toward a U.S. Navy destroyer over the weekend, but the ship shot it down. The Houthis then struck a U.S.-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden on Monday and a Malta-flagged bulk carrier in the Red Sea on Tuesday. In response Tuesday, the U.S. struck four anti-ship ballistic missiles that were prepared to launch and presented an imminent threat to merchant and U.S. Navy ships in the region.
Hours later, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Maltese-flagged bulk carrier Zografia. The shipment was successful, but no one was hurt and he continued on his way.