US strike & destroy two Houthi anti-ship missiles as they prepared to launch ANOTHER attack in WW3 flashpoint Red Sea

AMERICA has destroyed two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were ready to launch yet another attack in the Red Sea.

This marks the fifth strike by the US in under a week as the Yemeni rebel group continues attacking commercial ships in the region.

A tweet from the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the strike on Thursday, which are "part of ongoing multi-national efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on maritime vessels in the Red Sea".

CENTCOM said the missiles were aimed into the southern Red Sea and were "prepared to launch" when its forces identified them. 

It said they determined they were an "imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region". 

"US forces subsequently struck and destroyed the missiles in self-defence," it added, saying the strikes took place at around 3.40pm local time.

The attack was quickly followed by a Houthi response, reported.

A Yemeni military source told the news outlet: "Ansar Allah-Houthi forces targeted an American ship near the Yemeni coast of Mukalla."

It came just a day after the US launched its fourth rounds of strikes against the Iran-backed rebels.

It comes after a shocking image revealed a charred hole on the side of the US-owned cargo ship after it suffered a drone attack by the Houthi rebels.

The merchant vessel Genco Picardy was hit by an unmanned aerial vehicle as it was heading east along the Gulf of Aden.

The bulk carrier was en route to Tamil, India after departing Port of Safaga in Egypt on January 11, as per marine traffic portal Vesselfinder.

India's navy, which assisted the cargo ship, released the images of the attack's aftermath.

The photographs show the destroyed parts of the railings and a metal grille hanging loose.

The stern of the warship was charred after the fire broke out onboard yesterday.

The merchant vessel sent out a distress call after the drone attack around midnight local time.

Soon after, the the Indian Navy’s ship responded to the mayday and the fire was under control.

"INS Visakhapatnam, undertaking anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden, acknowledged the distress call and intercepted the vessel at 0030 hrs on January 18, 2024 in order to provide assistance," the Navy said in a statement.

Genco Picardy, with 22 crew members, reported no casualties and continued to the next port of call.

The Iran-backed group claimed responsibility for the strike after leading a string of brazen attacks on ships since November.

The Yemeni Armed Forces confirmed on Wednesday that a response to the American and British attacks is inevitably coming, and that any new attack will not remain without response and punishment.

An official statement read: "The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a targeting operation against the American ship (Ginko Picardie) in the Gulf of Aden with a number of suitable naval missiles, and the hit was accurate and direct, thanks to God.