CENTCOM forces thwart Yemeni UAVs, Houthi hypersonic ambitions unveil

Shafaq News / The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced, on Thursday, the destruction of four drones and a surface-to-air missile in Yemen. CENTCOM stated on X, "Between 2:00 a.m. and 4:50 p.m. (Sanaa time) on March 13, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Gulf of Aden. The missile did not impact any vessels and there were no injuries or damage reported." "United States Central Command then successfully engaged and destroyed four unmanned aerial systems (UAVs) and one surface-to-air missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen." The statement indicated, "It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy and merchant vessels." On the other hand, a military source close to the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen informed the Russian "Novosti" agency that the group has made a significant breakthrough in the field of weapons, successfully testing a hypersonic missile. The source added that "the new missile is capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach eight, which corresponds to 10 thousand kilometers per hour, and runs on solid fuel. This discovery takes Ansar Allah's capabilities to a new level, allowing the group to strike strategically in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and against targets in Israel." In addition to their high speed, the maneuverability and ability of hypersonic missiles to change course make it extremely difficult to intercept and shoot them down using current methods. The source pointed out that the Houthis have modernized their missiles and drones, significantly increasing their destructive power, following a series of experiments that lasted for three months. This comes after the leader of the Houthis Abdel Malik al-Houthi announced last Thursday that the development of hypersonic missiles will be a landmark achievement that will bring Yemen into the ranks of countries with advanced military technologies. The Houthis have been launching frequent drone and missile attacks on international commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden since mid-November. They claim solidarity with Palestinians facing Israel's actions in Gaza. These near-daily assaults have compelled companies to redirect their ships through longer and more expensive routes around Africa, sparking concerns about potential destabilization in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. In response to these attacks, the US and the UK have targeted Houthi assets. The impact of the Houthi decision reaches halfway to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a 20-kilometer-wide passage that serves as the gateway to the Red Sea. Approximately 15% of global shipping traffic transits through this strait to and from the Suez Canal. Despite many Western accusations suggesting Iran influences Houthis to target vessels, both Tehran and the Yemeni group deny such claims. Iran asserts that Ansar Allah makes independent decisions, akin to other movements in the "Axis of Resistance", which includes Lebanon's Hezbollah, Iraqi factions, and others. All groups within the Axis have declared that their attacks will persist until a ceasefire is achieved in the Gaza Strip, where Israel's actions have resulted in the deaths of over 32,000 Palestinians, predominantly children and women. The Israeli aggression has also displaced approximately 1.5 million people, leading to the destruction of infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and even UN facilities. The United Nations reports that the Gaza Strip is currently experiencing famine conditions, exacerbated by Tel Aviv's rejection of humanitarian aid through Rafah. Tragically, dozens of children, including newborns in Gaza have died of hunger so far.