U.S. military confirms airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen's Hodeidah

SANAA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. military confirmed Sunday it struck Houthi targets near the Yemeni Red Sea port city of Hodeidah a day earlier, claiming to have hit the group's two unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and three anti-ship cruise missiles.

In an online statement, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces successfully conducted self-defense strikes against these targets north of Hodeidah "that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea" on Saturday afternoon.

"CENTCOM identified these USVs and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region," it said.

On Saturday evening, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported that U.S. and British aircraft carried out a fresh round of airstrikes on Houthi targets, hitting the Al-Salif port northwest of Hodeidah city, without providing more details.

Houthi group has launched dozens of missile attacks against Israel-linked merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November last year, in what the group said were done out of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Washington has warned Houthis to re-list them as a "global terrorist organization" if the group doesn't stop attacking shipping.

Houthi group has been controlling the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah since the 2018 UN-brokered Stockholm Agreement, which was backed by the United States and Britain, forcing the Yemeni internationally recognized government out.