U.S. Forces Target Houthi Threats in Gulf of Aden and Red Sea

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Monday that American military forces successfully destroyed three uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) belonging to the Houthi movement, which were launched from Yemen. The operations took place over the Gulf of Aden between Sunday evening and Monday evening. In addition to the drones, CENTCOM indicated that three other Houthi weapons and vessels were also neutralized within the same timeframe, highlighting ongoing military actions against the group. The press release detailed that U.S. forces targeted a Houthi uncrewed surface vessel (USV), an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), and an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) in the Red Sea. CENTCOM emphasized that these weapons posed a "clear and imminent threat" to U.S. and coalition forces, as well as to merchant vessels operating in the region. The statement condemned the actions of the Iranian-backed Houthis, describing them as reckless and detrimental to regional stability. In a related development, a senior U.S. official confirmed that a drone strike in Iraq on July 30 resulted in the death of a Houthi drone specialist. This confirmation followed reports of injuries sustained by U.S. personnel in a suspected rocket attack at the Ain al-Asad air base, with officials conducting a damage assessment. Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly following recent attacks involving Hezbollah and Hamas, CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla met with Israeli Defense Forces Chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant underscored the significance of U.S. support for Israel during this critical period.