WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2016 — Early yesterday local time, the U.S. military struck three radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory on Yemen's Red Sea coast, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a news release last night.

“Initial assessments show the sites were destroyed,” Cook said. The strikes were authorized by President Barack Obama at the recommendation of Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Marine Corps General Joe Dunford.

The targets were radar sites involved in the recent missile launches threatening the destroyer USS Mason and other vessels operating in international waters in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb, the press secretary said.

“These limited self-defense strikes were conducted to protect our personnel, our ships, and our freedom of navigation in this important maritime passageway,” Cook said. “The United States will respond to any further threat to our ships and commercial traffic, as appropriate, and will continue to maintain our freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb and elsewhere around the world.”