The United States has carried out five defensive strikes in regions of Yemen under the control of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia.

According to a statement from US Central Command released on Sunday, it targeted three mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, one unmanned underwater vessel, and one unmanned surface vessel on Saturday, citing an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the area.

"This is the first observed Houthi employment of a UUV since attacks began on Oct. 23," CENTCOM stated in a post on X.

The conflict in the Red Sea area has escalated, with Houthi attacks being a major aspect of the spreading conflict in the Middle East, sparked by the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza.

While the Houthis claim their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza war, the US and its allies view them as indiscriminate and a threat to global trade.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Houthi rebel group, Yahya Saree, claimed in a post on social media platform X on Monday that their militants shot down a United States MQ9 aircraft "with a suitable missile while it was carrying out hostile missions."

Saree also mentioned targeting the United Kingdom's RUBYMAR ship in the Gulf of Aden, stating that "as a result of the extensive damage the ship suffered, it is now at risk of sinking." He assured that the ship's crew "exited safely."

For over a decade, Iran has been providing weapons and support to the Houthis. The rebel group has been engaged in conflict with the Yemeni government since 2014 and has controlled a significant portion of the country for some time.