The United States military reported the seizure of two anti-ship cruise missiles claimed by the Yemeni Houthi movement, Ansar Allah, in the Red Sea within the past day. The update was shared by United States Central Command on the social network X.
CENTCOM said the missiles were intercepted in self-defense, noting they represented a direct threat to commercial vessels and U.S. Navy ships operating in the area. The incident occurred on March 4 at 20:00 local Sana time (or Moscow time).
In a separate development, the Houthis fired two anti-ship missiles at a Liberian-flagged container ship between 15:50 and 16:15. One of the vessels sustained damage, but there were no injuries. The container ship did not seek assistance and continued on its preplanned route.
Amid renewed conflict between Hamas and Israel, the Houthi movement, Ansarullah, publicly warned of potential attacks on Israeli territory. It also pledged not to allow vessels linked to Israel to pass through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait, signaling that military activity around the Bab al-Mandab corridor would persist alongside broader Gaza-related tensions.
Earlier statements from the Houthis suggested an intention to threaten merchant shipping in the Red Sea on a semi-regular basis, outlining a cycle of actions perceived as pressuring maritime routes critical to global trade.