US Central Command forces destroyed three unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in an area of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

Thursday’s military operation was in response to an assessed "imminent threat to US, coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region," CENTCOM stated, adding that “these actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels.”

This week, Israel targeted a site close to the Syrian capital resulting in several Syrian soldiers sustaining injuries, while there were no casualties reported among the Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) – unlike Israel’s strike last month on a purported Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Experts have noted that amid regional tensions, Houthi rebels have broadened their operational reach, extending their influence from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden eastwards towards the Indian Ocean – with a reported aim is to block maritime traffic heading to Israel through strategic waterways.

In response to the Houthis' escalated activities and threats, the US, in collaboration with the UK, has intensified its military operations within Yemen.