By a
For the first time, Yemen’s Ansarallah fired a surface-to-air missile at a US F-16 over the Red Sea, expanding its operations.
Yemen’s Ansarallah launched surface-to-air missiles at an American F-16 fighter jet for the first time on Wednesday, February 19, Fox News reported, citing senior officials in the US Department of Defense.
Pentagon officials reportedly stated that the missile did not hit the aircraft, which was flying over the Red Sea near Yemen.
“The jet was flying off the coast of Yemen over the Red Sea when the SAM was fired. The missile did not strike the jet,” the report stated.
According to US defense officials, Ansarallah also fired another missile on the same day at an American MQ-9 drone.
‘We Will Not Abandon Gaza’: Ansarallah Targets Israeli Sites and US Aircraft Carrier
“This is the first time the Houthis have fired a SAM missile at an American F16 fighter jet, a significant escalation in the ongoing military interactions between the Iranian-backed group and the U.S. Navy and Air Force,” Fox News also reported, citing the officials.
According to the report, top US military officials are currently discussing the best approach to respond to Ansarallah’s actions.
Last January, US President Donald Trump re-designated the Ansarallah movement as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization”.
“The Houthis’ activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade,” Trump’s order read.
US Designates Ansarallah as Terrorist Group – Yemeni Leaders Call It ‘A Badge of Honor’
In response, Ansarallah said in a statement that “the US designation reflects the extent of the current administration’s bias toward the usurping Zionist entity” and that the “entire population” was being targeted over their support for Palestinians in Gaza.
Under the slogan of supporting Gaza, Ansarallah targeted for months ships owned or operated by Israeli entities, or those transporting goods to and from Israel in the Red Sea.
They later expanded their attacks to include American and British vessels following the start of airstrikes on Yemen in January 2024.
The group also launched ballistic missiles and drones to strike targets in Tel Aviv and Eilat.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
