<p>Washington: The United States is not at war with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, the Pentagon said on Thursday, even as it detailed its fifth round of strikes against the group in the past week.</p><p>Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said the strikes, including Thursday's targeting of anti-ship missiles, were purely defensive in nature.</p>.Armed drone shot down near US base in northern Iraq.<p>"We are not at war with the Houthis," said Singh.</p><p>"The Houthis are the ones that continue to launch cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles at innocent mariners. ... What we are doing, with our partners, is self-defense," she said.</p>
<p>Washington: The United States is not at war with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, the Pentagon said on Thursday, even as it detailed its fifth round of strikes against the group in the past week.</p><p>Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said the strikes, including Thursday's targeting of anti-ship missiles, were purely defensive in nature.</p>.Armed drone shot down near US base in northern Iraq.<p>"We are not at war with the Houthis," said Singh.</p><p>"The Houthis are the ones that continue to launch cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles at innocent mariners. ... What we are doing, with our partners, is self-defense," she said.</p>