The United States, the United Kingdom, and their allies conducted strikes against Houthi rebel group sites in Yemen, citing “defensive action” in response to attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. US officials reported targeting logistical hubs, air defense systems, and weapons storage locations, utilizing fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles.
Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, control significant areas in western Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa. US President Joe Biden stated that the airstrikes received “support” from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands.
Recent Houthi attacks on international ships in the Red Sea, a response to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, prompted the defensive action. A Houthi official, Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Al-Ezzi, warned of retribution, stating that the US and UK would face severe consequences for the “blatant aggression.”
US President Joe Biden characterized the US and British strikes as a “defensive action” following the Red Sea attacks, asserting his readiness to order additional military action if necessary. The strikes, involving fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles, targeted 60 locations at 16 Houthi sites with over 100 precision-guided munitions, according to the US Air Forces Central Command.
In a statement, Biden explained that the strikes aimed to counter the Houthi rebels’ actions jeopardizing freedom of navigation in a crucial waterway. He referred to the attacks by the Houthis, including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles, as “unprecedented” and a direct threat to US personnel, civilian mariners, and international trade. The president emphasized the need to address these threats to ensure freedom of navigation. Unverified images on social media depicted explosions at Al-Dailami airbase, north of Sanaa, during the strikes.
