US military destroys Houthi anti-ship missile after oil tanker attack

The US has said it has destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile in Yemen that posed an “imminent threat” to its Navy.

The strike comes after the Iran-backed rebels claimed an attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden.

In response, the UK government said Britain and its allies, which include the US, reserved “the right to respond appropriately”.

Announcing the latest strike, the US said the missile had been aimed towards the Red Sea and was ready to launch.

It “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region,” US central command said in a statement on X.

The US said it had destroyed the missile “in self-defence”, adding that this “action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy vessels and merchant vessels.”

Earlier this week Rishi Sunak warned the UK would not hesitate to launch further airstrikes against the Houthi rebels if attacks on ships in the Red Sea continued.

His warning came hours after RAF jets took part in a second wave of joint US-UK action on Monday night.

The Houthis claim their attacks have been prompted by the war in Gaza.But the UK government has rejected that suggestion, pointing out that the group have hit ships with no links to Israel.

After the first set of US-UK strikes the foreign secretary Lord Cameron said that the decisive action had also sent a very clear message to Iran.

But the Houthis vowed bloody revenge and have continued to attack vessels in the Red Sea.

After the oil tanker attack, a UK govermment spokesperson said: “We are aware of reports that the M/V Marlin Luanda, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, has sustained damage from attack in the Gulf of Aden. Current reports suggest no casualties and nearby coalition vessels are on the scene.

“We have been clear that any attacks on commercial shipping are completely unacceptable and that the UK and our allies reserve the right to respond appropriately.”