WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US forces on Friday hit 15 targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, the US military said.

Four provinces were struck, the Iran-backed rebels’ Al Masirah television network reported.

The US and Britain have repeatedly carried out strikes aimed at curbing the Houthis’ ability to target shipping, but the rebels’ attacks on merchant vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have persisted.

“US Central Command (Centcom) forces conducted strikes on 15 Houthi targets in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen today,” the military command responsible for US forces in the Middle East said on social media.

“These targets included Houthi offensive military capabilities,” Centcom said, adding that the strikes were carried out “to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US, coalition and merchant vessels.”

Al Masirah — which said both the US and Britain struck Yemen on Friday — had earlier reported four strikes on Sanaa and seven on Hodeida. Agence France-Presse correspondents heard loud explosions in both cities.

At least one strike each hit Dhamar, south of the capital and Mukayras, southeast of Sanaa, Al Masirah said.

The Houthis have been hitting shipping since November, saying that attacks, which have disrupted maritime traffic in a globally important waterway, target vessels linked to Israel and are intended to signal solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war.

The US strikes took place a day after the rebels said they carried out a drone attack on Tel Aviv. The Israeli military said it had intercepted “a suspicious aerial target” overnight off central Israel, without giving further details.

On Wednesday, the Houthis said they had fired cruise missiles at Israel, following Iran’s massive bombardment of the country.

The day before, the Houthis damaged two ships in separate attacks off Yemen’s coast.