Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 takes off. Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft have conducted precision strike operations against Houthi military targets in response to further attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, in this undated handout image. UK MOD/Handout via REUTERS
On Monday, U.S. and British forces conducted a new series of strikes in Yemen, targeting a Houthi underground storage site and missile/surveillance capabilities used by the Iran-aligned group against Red Sea shipping, as reported by the Pentagon. The Houthis, controlling the most populous areas in Yemen, claim their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s actions in Gaza.
These Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping, raised concerns about global inflation, and heightened fears of potential destabilization in the Middle East due to repercussions from the Israel-Hamas conflict. In the recent response, U.S. and British forces, supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, carried out strikes at eight different locations in Yemen.
A joint statement signed by the six countries confirmed the destruction of all intended targets based on initial evidence from the strikes. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak informed parliament that roughly 25 to 30 munitions were fired, including some from warplanes launched from a U.S. aircraft carrier. Despite eight rounds of strikes over the past month, Houthi attacks against shipping persist.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated that the U.S.-British alliance executed 18 air strikes, with targets including the capital Sanaa, the port city of Hodeidah, Taiz, and Al-Bayda province. Sarea warned that these attacks would not go unanswered or unpunished.
U.S. officials asserted that the strikes have degraded the Houthis’ ability to carry out complex attacks, but specific numbers regarding the destruction of military capabilities were not disclosed. British foreign minister David Cameron emphasized that the action sent a clear message to the Houthis, expressing the intent to continue degrading their ability to carry out such attacks.
President Joe Biden confirmed last week that air strikes would persist, acknowledging their limited success in halting Houthi attacks. In a recent incident, the Houthis fired anti-ship ballistic missiles at a U.S.-owned tanker ship, causing no injuries or damage.
Biden’s strategy in Yemen aims to weaken the Houthi militants without seeking their defeat or directly addressing Iran, the Houthis’ main sponsor. The strategy combines limited military strikes and sanctions to punish the Houthis while mitigating the risk of a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Sunak disclosed that the U.K. and the U.S. are collaborating on new sanctions measures to be announced in the coming days. Due to the disruptions caused by Houthi attacks, container vessels have altered their routes, with some pausing or diverting from the Red Sea, leading to the Suez Canal, and opting for the longer route around Africa.
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