The US attacks more Houthi locations in Yemen

For the sixth time in 10 days, the United States said Friday it had destroyed Houthi missiles in Yemen that were poised to attack merchant and military ships in the Red Sea, a pattern of attacks that the White House said could continue in the near future. future will continue. to weaken the militia group.

The U.S. military hit three Houthi missiles and launchers, John F. Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters on Friday. He did not say what weapons the United States had used in the attack, but previous strikes have used cruise missiles and munitions dropped from fighter jets.

The attacks – the fourth US salvo in as many days – have so far failed to deter the Houthis from attacking shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to and from the Suez Canal, which are crucial to global trade . The Iran-backed group says it will continue its attacks in what it says is a protest against Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip against Hamas.

President Biden said Thursday that U.S. airstrikes against the Houthis will continue even though they have not halted the group's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. “Are they stopping the Houthis? No,” Mr. Biden said. “Are they going to continue? Yes.”

Last Thursday, US and British strike aircraft and warships attacked more than 60 Houthi targets, including air defenses, command centers and facilities for storing and launching anti-ship cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as drones.

But U.S. officials warned Saturday that even after hitting more Houthi missile and drone targets with more than 150 precision-guided munitions, the strikes damaged or destroyed only about 20 to 30 percent of the Houthis' offensive capabilities, much of which has been mounted. on mobile platforms and can be easily moved or hidden.