(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) WASHINGTON, March 24 (KUNA) -- The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the Houthi militia launched five ballistic missiles, one of which hit a Chinese owned and operated oil tanker.
CENTCOM said in a statement on X, late on Saturday, that on "March 23, the Iranian-backed Houthis launched four anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) into the Red Sea in the vicinity of M/V Huang Pu, a Panamanian-flagged, Chinese-owned, Chinese-operated oil tanker."
A fifth ballistic missile was detected fired towards M/V Huang Pu who issued a distress call but did not request any assistance. The ship suffered minimal damages and a fire on board that was extinguished within 30 minutes, the statement added.
No damage were reported and the ship continued its course.
"Between 6:50 and 9:50 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. forces, including USS Carney (DDG 64), engaged six Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the southern Red Sea. Five crashed into the Red Sea, and one flew inland into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen." the statement noted.
CENTCOM added that the UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region.
The US State Department has condemned the Houthi attacks on merchant vessels in various statements, especially those carrying humanitarian aid.
On January 17, the US announced relisting Yemen's Houthi militia as a terrorist group due to the attacks it launched on the commercial ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and forces positioned there. (end)
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