Yemen's Houthi rebel group claims it attacked US military ship in Gulf of Aden, Washington denies

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebel group on Monday (Jan 22) claimed it carried out an attack against a US military cargo ship off the coast of Yemen.

"The Yemeni armed forces continue to retaliate to any American or British aggression against our country by targeting all sources of threat in the Red and Arab Sea," the Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said.

He further said that the rebel group "led a military operation targeting the American military cargo ship Ocean Jazz in the Gulf of Aden".

However, the United States rebuffed claims of the attack.

"We're not seeing that at all on our end and believe that statement to be untrue," news agency AFP quoted a US official as saying.

UK to spend millions for upgradation of missile system used in Red Sea

Meanwhile, the UK's Ministry of Defence on Sunday (Jan 21) announced that it would spend a total of $514 million (405 million pounds) to upgrade a projectile system that is currently being used by the Royal Navy to shoot down drones over the Red Sea.

The MoD said the Sea Viper Air Defence system would be upgraded with missiles featuring a new warhead and software that will allow it to counter ballistic missile threats.

The contracts were awarded to the British division of MBDA, a missiles joint venture owned by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, the statement further added.

Watch | US & Britain unleash typhoons, Tomahawks & nuclear submarine on Houthis in Yemen

"As the situation in the Middle East worsens, it is vital that we adapt to keep the UK, our allies and partners safe," Defence Minister Grant Shapps said in the statement.

"Sea Viper has been at the forefront of this, being the Navy's weapon of choice in the first shooting down of an aerial threat in more than 30 years."

The announcement comes amid tensions in the Red Sea region after the United States and Britain launched retaliatory coalition strikes and shot down drones by Houthis as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to rage on.

Earlier on Saturday (Jan 20), the United States had launched fresh strikes on Houthi rebels targeting an anti-ship ballistic missile, which as per the US army, was aimed into the Gulf of Aden and was preparing to launch.

"US forces determined the missile presented a threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region and subsequently struck and destroyed the missile in self-defence," the US Central Command said in a statement on X.

Strikes against Houthis to continue,says Biden

US President Joe Biden on Thursday (Jan 18) said that the military strikes against the Houthis would continue as he said that the rebel group was still attacking vessels in the Red Sea.

"When you say 'working, are they stopping the Houthi?' No. Are they going to continue? Yes," Biden told reporters at the White House when asked if the strikes were working.

Washington on Wednesday (Jan 17) re-designated the Houthis as a "terrorist group" and hit 14 Houthi missiles later the same day.

(With inputs from agencies)