WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US military said Friday it destroyed two uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea belonging to Yemen’s Houthis, as well as one drone and seven radars used by the rebels to target ships.

The Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have launched dozens of drone and missile strikes into the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November, describing them as retaliation for the Israel-Hamas war.

In the last 24 hours, “forces successfully destroyed one uncrewed aerial system” launched over the Red Sea, US Central Command (Centcom) said in a social media post.

It said US forces also destroyed two Houthi uncrewed surface vessels plus “seven Iranian-backed” Houthi radars in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

The radars allowed the Houthis “to target maritime vessels and endanger commercial shipping,” Centcom said.

“It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to US, coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” Centcom said in the post.

The rebel attacks have prompted reprisal strikes by US and British forces and the formation of an international coalition to protect the vital shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.

The moves come as the Houthi rebels increase attacks on maritime traffic.

On Friday, the crew of the MV Tutor ship was evacuated from the drifting vessel, which was struck by a sea drone on Wednesday.

It was among the surge of attacks this week, one of which badly injured a sailor who was evacuated by US forces from the MV Verbena in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday.