The American armed forces announced in the early hours of the morning thatyesterday Thursday they destroyed an anti-ship ballistic missile over the Red Sea (ASBM) that had been launched from an area of ​​Yemen controlled by the Houthi rebels.

“No injuries or damage to ships were reported US (Navy), coalition, or commercial,” the joint command of the US armed forces responsible for the Middle East region (CENTCOM, “central command”) assured through X.

Since mid-November, Yemeni rebels, part of the so-called “axis of resistance,” a loose alliance close to Iran, have been launching attacks against ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, sea lanes of major importance for global trade. They initially targeted ships they said were linked to Israel – now they also target ships of its allies, notably the US and Britain – as a sign of support for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, an enclave that has been bombarded and besieged by the Israeli army since on the 7th of October.

Their attacks have forced major shipping companies to suspend services in the strategically important region, where 12% to 15% of the world’s trade passed before the war, and have increased shipping costs as ships are now forced to around the African continent.

In retaliation, the US and Britain have been carrying out raids against Houthi positions and weapons systems in Yemen since January; while, since December, Washington has formed a naval formation to “protect” international shipping. Despite this, the Houthi attacks do not stop.