Houthis from Yemen Announce Missile Strikes on Israel and US Carriers
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Synopsis
Yemen's Houthi group claims responsibility for missile strikes targeting Israel and US aircraft carriers amid rising tensions following recent US airstrikes. Houthi spokesperson vows continued support for Palestinians and retaliation against US actions.
Key Takeaways
- The Houthis targeted Israel with a ballistic missile.
- US aircraft carriers were also in the crosshairs.
- Claims of downing a US drone were made.
- US airstrikes in Yemen have intensified tensions.
- The Houthi group supports Palestinian solidarity.
Sanaa, April 19 (NationPress) The Houthi movement in Yemen has taken responsibility for launching a ballistic missile aimed at Israel, which was intercepted by Israeli defense systems.
The operation specifically targeted a military installation near Ben Gurion Airport in central Israel, utilizing a ballistic missile identified as Zulfiqar, according to Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea during a mass protest demonstrating support for Palestinians, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Additionally, the group has directed its attacks at the US aircraft carriers, USS Harry S. Truman and USS Carl Vinson, along with their accompanying vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea. This marks the first instance of the group targeting the USS Carl Vinson since it arrived in the Arabian Sea.
Sarea also claimed that the group successfully shot down another US MQ-9 drone, bringing the total number of drones downed since November 2023 to 20.
He asserted, “We will persist in our support operations for the Palestinian people until the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip ceases and the blockade is lifted,” while promising reprisals against the ongoing US airstrikes in Yemen.
The US Central Command has yet to respond to the claims made by the Houthis.
These recent Houthi strikes come in the wake of two rounds of US airstrikes on the Yemeni fuel port of Ras Isa on Thursday night.
The US air raids have reportedly resulted in the deaths of 74 individuals, with 171 more injured, and have destroyed concrete tanks that were storing imported fuel, according to health authorities affiliated with the Houthis.
This port has served as a critical source for importing fuel into areas controlled by the Houthi group.
Tensions between the Houthis and the US military have heightened since the US resumed airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen on March 15, aimed at deterring the group from attacking Israel and US naval vessels in regional waters.
The Houthis, who dominate large portions of northern Yemen, have been striking Israeli targets since November 2023 to express their solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
US President Donald Trump called for “decisive and powerful military action” against the Houthi group in mid-March and subsequently threatened to “completely annihilate” them.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have also been targeting ships traversing the Red and Arabian Seas, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where over 51,000 people have perished due to a prolonged Israeli offensive lasting more than 18 months.
Although the group paused its attacks when a ceasefire was declared in Gaza in January between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, they resumed hostilities after Israel renewed its airstrikes on the enclave last month.
