The U.S. military said Thursday it struck three radar sites in Yemen in response to missile launches from territory controlled by Houthi rebels that targeted a U.S. Navy destroyer.
Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook described the strikes as "self-defense" in order to protect U.S. personnel and ships.
"The United States will respond to any further threat to our ships and commercial traffic, as appropriate, and will continue to maintain our freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb, and elsewhere around the world," he said.
Officials said Wednesday a missile fired in the Red Sea targeted the destroyer USS Mason, which was accompanied by the amphibious docking vessel USS San Antonio at the time. The rocket failed to reach the ships, a U.S. official who asked not to be identified told VOA.
The missile launch, the second in the past four days, was from a Houthi-controlled area, officials said. The Houthi movement in Yemen denied any involvement in the first attack on the USS Mason, a few days ago.