The United States on Thursday bombed three radar sites controlled by Huthi rebels in Yemen, the first direct US strike against the group following attacks against American warships last week, the Pentagon said. President Barack Obama authorized the Tomahawk cruise missile strikes, which were launched at 4:00 am local time (0100 GMT) by the destroyer USS Nitze against Huthi-controlled territory on Yemen's Red Sea coast, a US official said.
"Initial assessments show the sites were destroyed," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement. The strikes "targeted radar sites involved in the recent missile launches threatening USS Mason and other vessels operating in international waters in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb," it added.
"These limited self-defence strikes were conducted to protect our personnel, our ships, and our freedom of navigation in this important maritime passageway." The USS Mason, a destroyer, was targeted on Wednesday. The missile fired from rebel-held territory crashed into the ocean before reaching its target. The Mason and the USS Ponce, an amphibious staging base, were previously targeted on Sunday by two missiles that also fell short.
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