Sanaa (South24)

The Houthis launched surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) for the first time at a US F-16 fighter jet and an MQ-9 Reaper drone on February 19, Fox News reported, citing three senior US Department of Defense officials.

According to the report, the attack occurred while the US fighter jet was flying over the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, but the missile did not hit the target. The Iran-backed group also targeted the reconnaissance drone outside the areas it controls in Yemen on the same day.

This incident is a dangerous development in the confrontation between US forces and the Houthis, and has prompted the administration of President Donald Trump to re-evaluate its military strategy in dealing with the group. The Trump administration last month reclassified the Houthis as a terrorist organization in an attempt to increase pressure on them.

According to Fox News, there is a debate within US military circles about the nature of the appropriate response, between carrying out targeted strikes against those leading the attacks, or continuing to target the Houthis’ infrastructure and military warehouses.

The developments come amid escalating Houthi attacks on US warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The US Navy has intercepted dozens of Houthi missiles and drones over the past two years, according to US defense officials, but military leaders warn that it could be just a matter of time when a Houthi missile strikes a US warship, with the potential to cost lives and equipment.