23 January 2024
The US and the UK have so far targeted 91 locations belonging to Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have carried out attacks on ships traveling from the Red Sea to Israel under the pretext of support to Gaza, reports Anadolu Agency.
Since 2014, the Houthis have controlled the capital city of Sana’a, as well as the strategic port city of Hudaydah and other areas along the Red Sea coast in Yemen. For the past few months, they have threatened to attack and seize commercial ships affiliated with Israeli companies, citing their response to Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Houthis have reportedly launched missile and drone attacks on 33 ships in the Red Sea since Nov. 19, 2023.
The US forces, pointing out that they have also been targeted in these attacks by Houthis, have announced on several occasions that they have successfully intercepted their missiles and kamikaze drones.
On Dec. 18, the US announced the formation of a multinational “maritime task force” called “Operation Guardian of Welfare” with the participation of a group of countries, citing the threat to global maritime trade security posed by Houthi forces.
On Jan. 11, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution, presented by the United States and Japan, demanding an immediate end to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
Approximately 12% of global trade is conducted through the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, providing the shortest route between Europe and Asia.
Below is a rundown of the attacks carried out by the US and the UK against the Houthis in Yemen.
Initial attacks by US, UK against Houthis
On Jan. 11, the US and the UK, with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, announced their initial attacks against the Houthis.
Washington and London stated that eight targets were struck in the attacks, which covered Sana’a, as well as the cities of Sada, Hudaydah, Taiz, and Hajjah in Yemen.
Houthi Military Spokesperson Yahya Saree said 73 targets were hit in the attacks on Jan. 11 by the US and the UK, and reported that five Houthi members were killed and six others were injured.
The US forces announced that they launched attacks on ballistic missiles gearing for an attack on the Red Sea on Jan. 17-18, but no further details were provided.
18 more airstrikes against Houthis
In a statement on X, Saree said on Tuesday that US and UK warplanes targeted the cities of Sana’a, Hudaydah, Taiz, and al-Bayda.
The spokesman added that a total of 18 airstrikes were carried out, with 12 targeting Sana’a and its outskirts, three targeting Hudaydah, two targeting Taiz, and one targeting al-Bayda.
A joint statement released by UK’s Defense Ministry stated that forces from the US and the UK, with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, targeted eight Houthi locations.
The joint statement indicated that Tuesday’s airstrikes were aimed at eliminating the threat posed by the Houthis to trade ships and, consequently, global trade.
“The militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, at the direction of their respective governments with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against eight Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the Houthis’ continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea,” the statement said.
It is also noted that the US and the UK have primarily targeted the infrastructure and ammunition of the Houthis in their attacks in Yemen, rather than their officials.
Saudi Arabia, UAE reactions
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who have supported the Yemeni government against the Houthis since 2015, announced that they were not in favor of escalating tensions following the initial attacks by the US and the UK.
In a statement on Jan. 12, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said: “We are closely following the military operations carried out in the Red Sea and the airstrikes on points in Yemen with great concern.”
Similarly, UAE’s Foreign Ministry stated in a statement on the same day that there were concerns about the repercussions of the attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab-al-Mandab Strait.
