Houthis vow to continue attacking ships in international shipping lanes
(VOVWORLD) - Yemen’s Houthi militia on Thursday threatened to punish the US for launching airstrikes against areas in Yemen under their control and vowed to continue attacking ships in international shipping lanes in support of the Palestinian people.
Smoke rises after US and British airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Sanaa, Yemen, on June 7, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua/ VNA) |
The US Central Command said Thursday that its forces had carried out a series of airstrikes on hardened underground storage facilities in Yemen where the Houthis conceal missiles and other weapons that are used to attack ships in international waters. The airstrikes were intended to weaken the Houthi military and persuade them to stop attacking naval and commercial vessels.
Since November, the Houthis have launched hundreds of ballistic missiles, aerial drones, and drone boats at foreign naval and commercial ships in the Red Sea and waters near Yemen.
The Houthis said they target only ships with links to Israel or sailing to Israel in an effort to pressure Israel to end its attacks on the Gaza Strip.