The United States is continuing to carry out strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, a sign of the war between Israel and Hamas spreading into other regions of the Middle East.
The attacks against the Iran-backed rebel group started when the Houthis began launching attacks at shipping vessels in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s attack on Hamas in Gaza.
US officials shared on Wednesday that it has now carried out four strikes against the rebel group in less than a week, using Tomahawk missiles in the latest to target approximately 14 Houthi missile launchers.
The missiles were launched from the USS Florida, a Navy-guided missile submarine.
Hours before the strike, the Houthis struck a US-owned and operated vessel, marking the second time the group had done so this week.
The Houthis confirmed the latest round of US airstrikes in Yemen in a statement published in the Houthis-run Saba news agency.
“The American-British aggression renewed its targeting of a number of Yemeni governorates,” the statement read. “The American-British aggression aircraft targeted the governorates of Hodeidah, Taiz, Dhamar, Al-Bayda and Saada.”
The strikes come as tension in the Middle East continues to worsen, with many wondering if the war in Israel and Gaza will spill out into other parts of the region.
Iran’s top diplomat recently said that attacks by its allies won’t stop until the war in Gaza ends. Iran has also recently carried out strikes in Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan.
Hezbollah has also continued to be involved in confrontations on the Lebanon-Israel border.
However, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen Pat Ryder said at a news briefing that they are continuing to try and keep the fighting where it’s at, insisting it hasn’t spread.
“We currently assess that the fight between Israel and Hamas continues to remain contained in Gaza,” Ryder said.