The United States and the United Kingdom, in coordination with allies including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, have initiated extensive airstrikes on Iran-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen. This military action, as announced by US President Joe Biden, is a direct response to the Houthi's unprecedented attacks on maritime vessels in the Red Sea, marking the first use of anti-ship ballistic missiles in history.
These strikes, involving Tomahawk missiles launched from warships and fighter jets, targeted Houthi facilities such as logistical centres, air defence systems, and weapons storage sites. According to reports from the Associated Press and residents in Yemen, multiple explosions were heard in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, and in the Red Sea port city of Hodieda, a Houthi stronghold.
A joint statement from the involved nations emphasized the strikes as acts of "individual and collective self-defence", aimed at disrupting the Houthi's capacity to threaten global trade and the safety of international mariners. The coalition stressed its commitment to defending lives and ensuring the free flow of commerce in crucial waterways.
This military action follows UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's briefing to his cabinet about potential British and US strikes on the Houthis, signalling a possible escalation in Middle Eastern conflicts. The strikes are the first US military response to ongoing drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Despite a temporary halt in Houthi attacks following a warning from the White House and its partners, the rebels escalated their activities, prompting the retaliatory strikes. The Houthi leadership vowed a strong military response to any American attacks.
The UN Security Council, in a recent resolution, demanded an immediate cessation of Houthi attacks and implicitly condemned their weapons supplier, Iran. Britain's involvement highlights the Biden administration's strategy of forming an international coalition against the Houthis, rather than unilateral action.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned of consequences if Houthi aggressions persisted, reflecting the Biden administration's cautious approach amid concerns about destabilizing the truce in Yemen and triggering a broader regional conflict.
