This was the fourth day of US strikes in less than a week.

In a statement, US Central Command said: "These missiles on launch rails presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region and could have been fired at any time, prompting U.S. forces to exercise their inherent right and obligation to defend themselves."

"These strikes, along with other actions we have taken, will degrade the Houthi's capabilities to continue their reckless attacks on international and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden," the statement said.

General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander said: ""The actions by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists continue to endanger international mariners and disrupt the commercial shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea and adjacent waterways."

He said the US will continue to take action to protect the lives of innocent mariners.

The US Central Command on January 17 said a drone launched from the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen struck a U.S.-owned vessel in the Gulf of Aden.

"At approximately 8:30 pm (Sanaa time) Jan. 17, an assessed one-way attack UAS was launched from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen and struck M/V Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden. M/V Genco Picardy is a Marshall Islands flagged, U.S. owned and operated bulk carrier ship,"  US Central Command said in a statement.

There were no injuries and some damage was reported.