WASHINGTON (NEWSnet/AP) — U.S. forces on Thursday conducted a fifth strike against Iran-backed Houthi rebel military sites in Yemen.

The latest strikes destroyed two Houthi anti-ship missiles that “were aimed into the southern Red Sea and prepared to launch,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement on X. They were conducted by Navy fighter aircraft, the Pentagon said.

President Joe Biden said the U.S. will continue the strikes, even though so far they have not stopped Houthis from continuing to harass commercial and military vessels in Red Sea.

“When you say working, are they stopping the Houthis, no. Are they going to continue, yes," Biden said in an exchange with reporters before departing the White House for a domestic policy speech in North Carolina.

Biden's comments followed another significant round of strikes Wednesday night, when the U.S. military fired another wave of ship- and submarine-launch missile strikes against 14 Houthi-controlled sties.

His administration also has put the Houthis back on its list of specially designated global terrorists.  The sanctions that come with the formal designation are meant to sever violent extremist groups from sources of financing, while allowing vital humanitarian aid to flow to impoverished Yemen citizens.

Houthis continue to harass commercial and military ships. The U.S. has warned Iran to cease providing weapons to the Houthis.

For months, the Houthis have claimed attacks in Red Sea either are for ships linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports.

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