Navy Strikes Houthi Radar Site With Tomahawk Cruise Missile
U.S. forces have conducted another attack, this time against a Houthi radar site associated with yesterday's strikes. The attack occurred at 3:45 a.m. Sana’a time, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is stating.
The strike was conducted by the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Carney using Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. It was a follow-on action on "a specific military target associated with strikes taken on Jan. 12 designed to degrade the Houthi’s ability to attack maritime vessels, including commercial vessels."
The Houthis appeared to target the Panama-flagged Aframax tanker Khalissa with an anti-ship ballistic missile earlier Friday. This ship has also been previously identified as part of a "dark fleet" of tankers the Russian government has been using to help move its oil around the world and evade sanctions from various countries.
"Since Nov. 19, 2023, Iranian-backed Houthi militants have attempted to attack and harass vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden 28 times," CENTCOM said. "These illegal incidents include attacks that have employed anti-ship ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles."
"These strikes have no association with and are separate from Operation Prosperity Guardian [OPG], a defensive coalition of over 20 countries operating in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden," CENTCOM said.
U.S. President Joe Biden earlier on Friday reiterated himself that more strikes on Yemen could come if the Houthis continue targeting ships in and around the Red Sea.
On Jan. 11 the U.S. and U.K., with support from several other nations, carried out a series of strikes against Houthi drone and missile storage and launch sites, as well as other facilities, used to threaten shipping in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden.
At a press briefing on Friday, Army Lt. Gen. Doug Sims, Director of Operations for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, provided additional details about last night's strikes on Yemen during a call today with reporters from The War Zone and other outlets. He disclosed that there were more than 60 targets spread across a total of 28 different sties that were struck by U.S. and British forces. He also said that just over 150 munitions of various types had been used in the strikes.
Sims also re-confirmed earlier statements that U.S. and British aircraft, as well as various U.S. naval assets, had taken part in the operation. The naval assets included Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and elements of its associated strike group, including its air wing, theTiconderoga class cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Gravely. The USS Mason, another Arleigh Burke, and an Ohio class guided missile submarine (which Sims did not identify, but which has been previously reported to have been the USS Florida) were also involved.
"Quite honestly, I would hope they wouldn't [retaliate], and what I mean by that is, there are a number of actors here [including Iran] who have the ability and have influence with the Houthis who recognize that continued conflict is not ... advantageous to them," Sims stated. "So the hope would be that any real thought of retaliation is based on a clear understanding that we simply are not going to be messed with here. This is all about creating freedom of navigation for international shipping."
This is a developing story.
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