CAIRO: US forces conducted self-defense strikes against three Houthi underground weapons storage facilities in areas of Yemen, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday.

The strikes targeted capabilities used by the Houthis to threaten and attack naval and merchant vessels in the region, it posted in a statement on X.

CENTCOM also said its forces had destroyed four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in self-defense.

The head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, said earlier there had been “reckless” US-British attacks on Yemen. The Saba News Agency said US and British aircraft had launched five raids on Hodeidah, the area where Yemen’s main port is located.

US Navy shoots down 15 UAVs in Red Sea area, CENTCOM says

CENTCOM said that during the time frame of the US attacks on the UAVs, Houthi had fired four anti-ship ballistic missiles from areas of Yemen toward the Red Sea.

“There were no injuries or damage reported by US, coalition, or commercial ships,” it said.

CENTCOM said its strikes on the storage facilities were “actions are necessary to protect our forces, ensure freedom of navigation, and make international waters safer and more secure for US, coalition, and merchant vessels.”