12 January 2024
The United States and United Kingdom launched air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen late on Thursday, following a spate of attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea region, reports Middle East Eye.
Explosions were reported in several cities across the war-ravaged country, including the capital Sanaa, the western port city of Hodeidah, the Houthi stronghold of Saada and the south-western city of Dhamar.
“American-Zionist-British aggression against Yemen launches several raids on the capital Sanaa, Hodeidah governorate, Saada, and Dhamar,” Houthi official Abdul Qader al-Mortada wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In a statement early on Friday, US President Joe Biden said the strikes were in response to the Houthis endangering “freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways,” and were carried out with the UK and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and The Netherlands.
“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” Biden said.
Thursday’s air strikes took place hours after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a multi-nation trip through the Middle East that was aimed in part at getting support for more action against the Houthis.
The UK and the US have repeatedly warned the Houthis against attacking vessels passing through the Red Sea, a vital shipping route, in protest against Israel’s war in Gaza.
Various shipping lines have suspended operations, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.
On Thursday afternoon, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile in the Gulf of Aden, in what US officials said was the 27th attack on commercial shipping by the group since 19 November. According to the US military, the missile did not cause any injuries or damage.
And on Tuesday, US and UK carrier-based jets and warships shot down 21 drones and missiles launched by the Iran-backed group towards Israel.
The Houthis have said their attacks in the busy waterway are an act of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza and that they are targeting ships with links to Israel.
In a televised speech earlier on Thursday, Houthi leader Abdel Malik al-Houthi vowed a “big” response to the US and its allies if they proceeded with military action against his group.
“Any American attack will not remain without a response. The response will be greater than the attack that was carried out with 20 drones and a number of missiles,” he said in a speech on Thursday.
“We are more determined to target ships linked to Israel, and we will not back down from that,” Houthi added.
The Houthi movement, an Iran-aligned group that has been fighting against a western-backed Saudi-led coalition for control of Yemen since 2014, has said it will only stop the attacks once Israel ends its war on Gaza.
Last month, the US sent an aircraft carrier, the USS Dwight D Eisenhower, to the area and also announced a coalition of countries to protect movement in the Red Sea.
The Red Sea is one of the world’s most important shipping lanes, linking European and Asian markets through the Suez Canal.
Around 12 percent of global trade passes through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, near to where the Houthis are targeting shipping.
