Yemen’s Houthis fired a missile towards the US aircraft carrier “Eisenhower” in the Red Sea, following US and British strikes on Yemen, according to Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, Reuters reports.
However, a US defense official told Reuters they were unaware of any attack on the “Eisenhower”.
Saree stated that six US and British strikes resulted in 16 deaths and 41 injuries, including civilians. These strikes targeted areas in Hudaydah province, including the Salif port, a radio building in Al-Hawk district, Ghalifa camp, and two houses.
The US and British militaries confirmed the strikes on Thursday, aiming to prevent the Houthis from further disrupting Red Sea shipping. US Central Command said they targeted 13 Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, while the British Defence Ministry mentioned targeting three locations in Hudaydah that housed drones and surface-to-air weapons.
The British Defence Ministry emphasized efforts to minimize civilian risk by planning the strikes carefully and conducting them at night.
Houthi spokesperson Mohamed Abdelsalam condemned the strikes as “brutal aggression” against Yemen in retaliation for its support of Gaza. Iran also condemned the strikes as violations of Yemen’s sovereignty and international law, holding the US and British governments responsible for the consequences.
The Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital and most populous areas, have attacked international shipping in the Red Sea since November in support of Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, prompting retaliatory US and British strikes since February.
