US military targets 10 Houthi drones in new Yemen strikes

The United States military has carried out new strikes against 10 drones belonging to the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen as well as a ground control centre. On Thursday, US forces targeted a "Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs" that "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region", the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement referring to unmanned aerial vehicles. "This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy vessels and merchant vessels," it added. The group said on Wednesday that all US and British warships participating in "aggression" against Yemen are targets, heightening concerns over the escalating tensions in the region as well as the increased disruption to world trade. CENTCOM said earlier that the USS Carney had shot down an antiship ballistic missile fired by the Houthis and downed three Iranian drones less than an hour later.