The US has launched a new strike against a Houthi target in Yemen.
A statement from US Central Command said: “This strike was conducted by the USS Carney using Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and was a follow-on action on a specific military target associated with strikes taken on 12 January designed to degrade the Houthi’s ability to attack maritime vessels, including commercial vessels.
“Since 19 November 2023, Iranian-backed Houthi militants have attempted to attack and harass vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden 28 times.
“These illegal incidents include attacks that have employed anti-ship ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles.
“These strikes have no association with and are separate from Operation Prosperity Guardian, a defensive coalition of over 20 countries operating in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden.”
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On Friday American and British planes, ships and submarines launched dozens of airstrikes across Yemen in retaliation against Iran-backed Houthi forces.
Following the initial strikes there were reports “suspicious” small boats had approached merchant ships in the region.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of two small boats following a vessel for more than an hour.
No weapons were seen, but the “suspicious approach” happened in an area 80 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, according to the agency.
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Meanwhile, two US Navy sailors have been reported missing at sea while conducting operations off the coast of Somalia.
A statement from US Central Command said: “Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing to locate the two sailors.
“For operational security purposes, we will not release additional information until the personnel recovery operation is complete.
“The sailors were forward-deployed to the US 5th Fleet (C5F) area of operations supporting a wide variety of missions.”
The pair went missing on 11 January.
On Friday, the US Navy warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours.
The warning in a notice to shippers came as Yemen’s Houthis vowed fierce retaliation for the US-led strikes, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel’s war in Gaza.
US military and White House officials said they expected the Houthis to try to strike back.