Yemen’s Houthis launched several drones and two ballistic missiles on Friday, according to the US military, following deadly overnight strikes by American and British forces that prompted retaliatory threats from the rebels.
The Houthis also launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles, CENTCOM reported, though no injuries or damage were noted to US, coalition, or commercial ships.
Earlier on Friday, the Houthis had threatened to increase their attacks on Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea after US and British strikes killed 16 people and wounded dozens. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced via X that 16 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in Hodeida alone, including civilians.
In retaliation, the Houthis launched a missile attack on the US aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea. Saree asserted that the Houthis “will not hesitate to respond directly and immediately” to attacks on “Yemeni territories.”
The toll announced by the Houthis marks some of the deadliest strikes since the US and Britain began a campaign in January to prevent disruption of this vital trade route. The rebels, who control much of Yemen, have conducted dozens of drone and missile attacks on ships since November, pressing Israel to end its ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians.
