US conducts 4th missile strike against Houthi targets in Yemen.

On the night of Wednesday, January 17, 2024, the United States Navy launched a new series of missile strikes targeting Houthi insurgents in Yemen. U.S. officials confirmed this action on Wednesday evening.
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A Tomahawk land attack cruise missile is launched during a live-fire demonstration (Picture source: US DoD)

These attacks marked an escalation, constituting the largest military operation carried out by the United States since President Biden authorized multiple strikes in a single night last week. The strikes were launched from the Red Sea, hitting more than a dozen sites, according to officials who spoke to the AP news agency. They came after a drone launched from areas controlled by the Houthis hit an American vessel in the Gulf of Aden.

The Saba news agency, controlled by the Houthis, stated that the areas targeted included Hodeidah, Taiz, Dhamar, al-Bayda, and Saada. The media group claimed that British aircraft were also involved in the strikes, but these claims cannot be verified at this time.

The U.S. military said its forces conducted strikes on 14 Houthi missiles that were ready to be fired from Yemen, posing an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.

Since November, attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militia on ships in the region have disrupted trade between Asia and Europe, causing concern among major powers. Wednesday's attack on Red Sea shipping saw a Houthi-launched drone collide with the Genco Picardy vessel, resulting in a quickly extinguished fire, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations organization. The ship and its crew were safe and heading to their next port of call.

“We will continue to take actions to protect the lives of innocent mariners and we will always protect our people,” said Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of US Central Command. This attack is a direct response to an announcement made earlier in the day by the Biden administration, reassigning the Houthis to its list of "specially designated global terrorists."

As of now, U.S. officials have not specified which missiles were used to strike the Houthis, but the conflict continues. The Americans have also announced that they would remove the Houthis from the list of terrorist organizations if they cease their attacks on merchant ships. On their part, the Houthis have declared that they will halt their attacks if Israel ceases its operations in Gaza. The situation is still evolving, and further developments are expected.