US Says it Destroyed 7 Houthi Drones, Ground Control Station

A Tomahawk land attack missile (TLAM) is launched from the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Gravely against what the US military describe as Houthi targets in Yemen, February 3, 2024. US Central Command/Handout via REUTERS

American forces have destroyed seven drones and a control station vehicle in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen over the past 24 hours, the US military said Friday.

The strikes were carried out because the drones and the vehicle “presented an imminent threat to US coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” the US Central Command said in a statement on X.

“These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure,” CENTCOM added.

The “continued malign and reckless behavior by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”