The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Thursday, July 4th, that its forces destroyed two unmanned surface vessels (drones) and a radar site belonging to the Houthi group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the US. This brings the total number of Houthi drones and radar sites destroyed in the past week to seven drones and four radar sites.

In a statement released on X, CENTCOM said, "Over the past 24 hours, US Central Command forces successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi unmanned surface vessels in the Red Sea and a radar site in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen."

The statement added, "The unmanned surface vessels and radar site were assessed to pose an imminent threat to US and coalition forces and commercial shipping in the area. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure."

On Wednesday, July 3rd, CENTCOM announced the destruction of two Houthi radar sites and two drones in the Red Sea. On Tuesday, July 2nd, CENTCOM stated that its forces destroyed a Houthi radar site, which it said posed "an imminent threat to the United States, coalition forces, and commercial shipping."

On Sunday, June 30th, CENTCOM reported that its forces destroyed three Houthi drones in the Red Sea in a self-defense operation.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have been carrying out attacks using missiles and drones against commercial ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Gulf of Aden. These attacks have led to an increase in maritime insurance costs and have caused many international shipping companies to opt for the much longer route around the southern tip of Africa.

To deter the Houthis and protect maritime navigation, the US formed a multinational coalition in December 2023. US forces have been conducting strikes against Houthi military targets on a regular basis.