Yemen's Houthis launched two ballistic missiles into Red Sea, no damage: US Navy

Sanaa, June 5 (IANS) The US Navy said that the Yemeni Houthi group launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea in the past 24 hours.

"In the past 24 hours, Iranian-backed Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Red Sea. There were no injuries or damage reported by the US, coalition, or commercial ships," the US Central Command said on X late Tuesday.

"This continued malign and reckless behaviour by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden," it said.

The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, began last November to launch anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones targeting what they said were Israeli-linked ships transiting the Red Sea to show solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, reports Xinhua news agency.

In response, the US-UK naval coalition stationed in the waters since January has conducted air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group, but this only led to an expansion of Houthi attacks to include US and British commercial vessels and naval ships.