The United States launched its fourth round of strikes against the Yemeni Houthis — the first since re-designating them a terrorist organization.

The strikes were launched against 14 different missile launching sites, according to U.S. Central Command. The strikes were launched hours after the Houthis hit a U.S.-owned merchant ship with the shipping company Genco. None were injured on the ship and it continued with its mission with some damage sustained.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, CENTCOM said the strikes were made as part of the ongoing campaign to degrade the Houthis’ ability to attack commercial vessels.

“In the context of ongoing multi-national efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on U.S. and partner maritime traffic in the Red Sea, on Jan. 17 at approximately 6 p.m. (EST), U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi controlled areas in Yemen,” it 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.”

More strikes were promised if Houthi attacks continue.

“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,” CENTCOM Commander General Michael Erik Kurilla was quoted as saying. “We will continue to take actions to protect the lives of innocent mariners and we will always protect our people.”

Houthi state media reported that the strikes hit the governorates of Hodeidah, Taiz, Dhamar, Bayda, and Saada, ABC News reported.

As with the previous two strikes, the attack appears to have been much more limited in scope than the inaugural strike, conducted alongside the United Kingdom, which hit nearly 30 different locations with more than 150 different types of munitions.

The U.S. announced on Wednesday that the Houthis were designated a terrorist group, though State Secretary Antony Blinken said that the decision would be reevaluated if they ceased their attacks against maritime traffic.

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The Houthis began their attack against maritime shipping in the Red Sea on Nov. 19 after declaring war on Israel, the first official major expansion of the Israel-Hamas War. The attacks have ground shipping to a halt through the vital trading artery, leading to a U.S.-led intervention.

The Houthi attacks appear to target vessels owned by or bound for Israel, leading many vessels to put in as their travel destination such messages as “VSL NO LINK ISRAEL” and “ALLCHINACREW ABOARD.” No such vessels with the messages have been targeted by the Houthis yet.