The United States announced that three mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, one unmanned submarine, and one unmanned surface ship were hit.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the US has carried out five airstrikes in areas controlled by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
On Saturday, it said it attacked three mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, one unmanned surface ship, and one unmanned submarine (UUV).
“This is the first observed use of UUVs by the Houthis since the offensive began on October 23,” CENTCOM said in a post to X on Sunday.
Centcom said it determined the missiles and ships posed an imminent threat to U.S. naval vessels and commercial vessels in the area.
There was no immediate comment from the Iran-aligned Houthis.
The airstrike comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with Houthi fighters carrying out attacks on commercial and military vessels since November.
The Houthis initially said they would target Israeli-linked ships in a show of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, but later expanded to include ships linked to Britain and the United States.
London and Washington responded with multiple strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, characterizing Houthi attacks as indiscriminate and a threat to global trade.
On Saturday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile attack on a British oil tanker, identified by the United States as a Panamanian-flagged vessel carrying crude oil bound for India.
Facing deteriorating security in the Red Sea, major shipping companies have largely abandoned key trade routes in favor of long-distance routes around Africa. This increases costs and raises concerns about global inflation, while depriving Egypt of vital overseas revenue from shippers using the Suez Canal to enter and exit the Red Sea.
“While we continue to look forward to a sustainable solution in the near future and are fully committed to achieving it, our customers are advised that the complex situation in the region will persist and that it will cause significant disruption to global networks. We advise you to be prepared for this to occur,” shipping giant Maersk said in January.
