SANAA / ADEN - The US Central Command said on Wednesday that its naval forces had destroyed a missile system of the Houthi group in Yemen.

"In the past 24 hours, US Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi missile system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen," it said in a post on social media platform X.

"It was determined this system presented an imminent threat to US and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region," it said without providing further details.

This was the third Houthi missile system destroyed by the US military strikes over the past two days, according to the USCENTCOM.

ALSO READ: US: Yemen's Houthis attacked two crude oil tankers in Red Sea

Meanwhile, residents in the Yemeni central province of Ibb reported on social media platforms that a fighter jet launched an airstrike targeting the Houthi-controlled Al-Hamzah military installation in the province on Tuesday.

The Houthi group, which controls Ibb and several other northern provinces, including the capital, Sanaa, has yet to comment.

Separately, the European Union's naval mission wrote on X on Tuesday that the burning Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which was attacked by the Houthis two weeks ago in the Red Sea, was still unsafe to be towed, and private companies responsible for the salvage operation are exploring alternative solutions to conduct the towing operation.

READ MORE: US military intercepts Houthi drones amid escalating naval attacks

The Houthis have been launching missile and drone attacks targeting what it called "Israel-linked" ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November last year to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In response, the US-British naval coalition stationed in the waters has since January conducted regular air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group.

"Systematic terrorism"

The Yemeni government on Tuesday condemned recent Houthi attacks on chemical and oil tankers in the Red Sea, describing them as "systematic terrorism" that threatens environmental, economic, and humanitarian stability in the region.

ALSO READ: Yemen's Houthis claim responsibility for cargo ship attack in Gulf of Aden

In a statement released through the state-run Saba news agency, Yemen's Minister of Information Moammar al-Eryani highlighted the latest incident involving the MV BLUE LAGOON I, a Panama-flagged vessel operated by a Greek company. The ship was reportedly struck by a ballistic missile and an unmanned aerial vehicle of suspected "Iranian origin".

Al-Eryani warned that any oil spill in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, or Gulf of Aden could severely impact Yemen's economy, agriculture, fisheries, and marine environment. He noted that such a disaster would expose millions of Yemenis to toxic gases, halt port operations, and endanger the livelihoods of 1.7 million people dependent on the fishing industry.