US Launches Fourth Round of Missile Strikes against Yemen
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Yemen witnessed a renewed barrage of missile strikes as the US military conducted its fourth round of aerial assaults in just one week.
The Yemeni Saba news agency reported early Thursday that the aerial assault targeted the provinces of Hudaydah, Taiz, Dhamar, al-Bayda, and Saada.
It added that British aircraft were also involved in the act of aggression.
In a statement, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes occurred around 11:59 p.m. Sana’a time on Wednesday, alleging that they aimed at 14 missiles loaded for firing from Yemen.
CENTCOM also claimed that these strikes, coupled with other actions, would "degrade" the "capabilities" of the Yemeni armed forces to sustain attacks in the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.
Two US officials disclosed that Tomahawk missiles were launched from US Navy surface vessels and the USS Florida, a guided-missile submarine, during the raid.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen news channel reported that surveillance aircraft were present over the western part of Yemen during the aggression.
The US strikes coincided with the re-designation of Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement as a "terrorist" group on the same day, citing frustration with anti-Israel naval operations by Yemeni armed forces in the Red Sea.
The United States and its allies have engaged in illegal attacks on Yemen, violating the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law.
In solidarity with Palestinians in besieged Gaza, Yemeni armed forces have targeted ships in the Red Sea connected to Israel or traveling to and from ports in the occupied territories. The most recent incident involved the US-owned Genco Picardy bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday.
In response to Yemen’s maritime campaign supporting Palestine, the US has formed a military coalition in the Red Sea, jeopardizing maritime navigation in the strategic waterway.