SANAA, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Central Command said on early morning Tuesday that its naval forces had destroyed two missile systems in the Houthi-controlled area in northern Yemen.
"In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed two missile systems in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen," it said on social media platform X, without disclosing the name of the area.
"It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region," it said.
The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has made no comment yet.
Also on Tuesday morning, the USCENTCOM accused the Houthi group of "attacking two oil tankers" in the Red Sea.
"On the morning of Sept. 2, the Iranian-backed Houthis attacked two crude oil tankers, the Panama flagged/owned, Greek operated MV BLUE LAGOON I, and the Saudi flagged, owned, and operated MV AMJAD, with two ballistic missiles and a one-way attack uncrewed aerial system, hitting both vessels," it said on X.
The Houthi group has admitted the attack against the BLUE LAGOON I oil tanker in a televised statement on Monday night, but has yet to comment on the alleged attack on the Saudi oil tanker.
The Houthi group has been launching missile and drone attacks targeting what it called "Israel-linked" ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November last year to show solidarity with the Palestinians and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. ■
