AL MUKALLA, Yemen: The US Central Command announced on Wednesday the destruction of three missile launchers in Houthi-held territory in Yemen. This action is part of ongoing military operations targeting Houthi sites in response to the persistent attacks on international shipping.
The US military stated that the missile launchers posed an imminent threat to US and coalition forces, as well as merchant vessels in the region. By eliminating these launchers, the US aimed to prevent Houthi attacks on international shipping and safeguard freedom of passage.
Since January, US and UK forces have conducted numerous strikes on Houthi sites in Sanaa, Hodeidah, and other areas. These operations target locations used for storing missile launchers, unmanned aerial vehicles, and drone boats, with the goal of securing international maritime routes off the coast of Yemen.
In a related development, operations at Hodeidah Port on Yemen’s Red Sea coast resumed at full capacity after fires in fuel tanks, caused by an Israeli attack over the weekend, were extinguished. Houthi officials confirmed that the port is operational, with two ships carrying cargo and steel having docked.
The Israeli airstrikes were a response to a Houthi drone attack in Tel Aviv that killed one person and injured at least 10. The Israeli bombings targeted multiple locations in Hodeidah, including the port, a power station, and areas on the city’s outskirts, resulting in six deaths and over 80 injuries.
In addition to military tensions, the Houthis have intensified their crackdown on Yemenis working with international organizations and Western embassies, accusing them of espionage. The Houthi Supreme Council for the Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and International Cooperation issued a letter demanding international organizations provide detailed staffing structures, including names, positions, and nationalities of employees.
Yemeni government information minister Muammar Al-Eryani condemned this demand, suggesting that the Houthis aim to control international aid flow by pressuring organizations to employ workers loyal to the militia.
Al-Eryani urged international groups to relocate their offices from Houthi-controlled areas to the government-controlled southern port city of Aden to protect their staff from Houthi persecution.
The Houthis have abducted over 60 Yemenis working for international organizations and Western missions, including more than a dozen UN employees, alleging that these workers are part of an Israeli and US spy network.
