US military fired missiles during Yemen Houthi attack on UAE

The U.S. military launched interceptor missiles during an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that targeted the United Arab Emirates during a visit by Israel’s president

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The U.S. military launched interceptor missiles during an attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels that targeted the United Arab Emirates during a visit by Israel's president, the second-such time American troops have opened fire, officials said.

The acknowledgement by the White House and Pentagon late Monday represent a widening American involvement in Yemen's yearslong war, a conflict that President Joe Biden declared nearly a year ago “has to end.”

While the U.S. has ended offensive support to the Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of Yemen's exiled government, their involvement in defending the UAE comes as the rebel Houthis have declared Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi a target. Al-Dhafra hosts some 2,000 American troops and has served as a major base of operations for everything from armed drones to F-35 stealth fighters.

Speaking from the White House, press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. military "responded to an inbound missile threat on the UAE.