YEMEN: In the latest incident, a missile fired from a region in Yemen controlled by the Houthi rebels was successfully shot down by a U.S. fighter aircraft on Sunday, according to the U.S. military. The incident unfolded in the southern Red Sea as the anti-ship cruise missile targeted the USS Laboon. The missile was intercepted near the coast of Hudaydah, Yemen, with no reported injuries or damage, as confirmed by the U.S. Central Command.

Tensions between the U.S. and the Houthi rebel group have been escalating, culminating in this latest incident. This comes in the aftermath of retaliatory strikes conducted by the U.S. and the United Kingdom against the Houthi rebels in response to their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Last Tuesday, the Houthis carried out their largest attack, launching a barrage of rockets and missiles at U.S. and U.K. forces in the Red Sea.

The Houthi rebels asserted that the retaliatory strikes last Thursday resulted in at least five deaths and six injuries. In response, the U.S. initiated a second round of strikes against a Houthi radar facility in Yemen, issuing a warning of further attacks if the rebels continue targeting commercial ships.

The Houthi rebels promptly declared their intention to respond to the strikes, emphasizing that the actions of the U.S. and the U.K. "will not go unanswered and unpunished." The ongoing conflict stems from the rebel group's persistent assaults on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Their maritime campaign is reportedly a protest against Israel's bombardment of Gaza in its conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Despite the Houthi claims that their attacks, which commenced in November, were aimed at Israeli-linked vessels, ships with no apparent ties to Israel have also been affected. This has led to the frustration of various countries, forcing major shipping companies to alter their routes, subsequently causing delays in delivery times and an increase in oil prices.

In response to the escalating situation, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution sponsored by the United States and Japan. The resolution, approved by an 11-0 vote, unequivocally condemns the Houthi group's attacks in the Red Sea "in the strongest terms" and demands an immediate halt to their actions.

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