As the conflict between Israel and Hamas intensified, the United States and the United Kingdom joined the fray by initiating an attack on Houthi Rebels In Yemen.
According to Houthi spokesman Abdulsalam Jahaf, who confirmed the assault on Friday, the US and UK are targeting the cities of Sanaa and Hodeidah.
As of now, there have been no official announcements from Washington or London regarding these attacks.
However, various British and American media outlets reported on Thursday evening that an attack was deemed “imminent,” citing anonymous sources within the White House and 10 Downing Street.
“Now America, Britain, and Israel are launching raids on Hodeidah, Sanaa, Dhamar, and Saada,” Jahaf said on X (formerly Twitter). “We will discipline them, God willing.”
According to Reuters, local witnesses reported at least three explosions in Sanaa.
The group officially known as Ansar Allah, or ‘Supporters of God,’ also known as the Houthis, expressed solidarity with Gaza in late October, responding to Israel’s offensive against the Palestinian enclave.
Subsequently, they have carried out over 20 attacks on various shipping vessels in the Red Sea, a critical trade route connecting Europe and Asia through the Suez Canal. In response, major shipping companies have rerouted their vessels around Africa, leading to increased prices and insurance costs.
On a recent Tuesday, the US Central Command announced that its ships and airplanes successfully intercepted more than 20 missiles and drones launched at vessels in the Red Sea.
British Defense Secretary Grant Schapps emphasized the importance of preventing terrorists and criminals from disrupting a major sea route for global goods movement.
In response to threats from Washington and London, Houthi spokesperson Jahaf declared that they would “respond to any American aggression” and vowed to make the US “kneel and burn its battleships and all its bases, along with anyone cooperating with it, regardless of the cost.”
“The world must prepare to hear America’s defeat, and I say it with all pride: We will tread on America with our feet, and whoever does not know us, the battlefields will know about our strength and strength,” Jahaf had said.
Between 2015 and 2023, the Houthis successfully held their ground against a regional coalition led by Saudi Arabia, as reported by RT.
The coalition aimed to reinstate the previous Yemeni government, and the United States provided support to the Saudis through intelligence and military aid.
Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the region, has been plagued by a sporadic civil war for almost a decade. The situation worsened with a Saudi-led intervention starting in 2015, intending to oust the Houthis from power.
Despite airstrikes by the US and UK, the Houthis remain steadfast in their attacks on vessels off Yemen’s coast.
Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam asserted on Twitter that these actions will not deter them, emphasizing that the strikes affect Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of occupied Palestine.
Abdulsalam criticized the aggression by Washington and London, stating that there was no justification for such actions, as there was no threat to international navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas.
The US Central Command reported striking “over 60 targets at 16 Iranian-backed Houthi militant locations” in Yemen, targeting command nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities, and air defense radar systems.
Iran strongly condemned the US and UK strikes, viewing them as a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, breaching international laws and rights, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.
Anti-war protesters gathered in Times Square, New York, and outside the White House in Washington, DC, chanting slogans such as “Let Yemen live” and “Hands off Yemen,” expressing solidarity with Palestine.
The US Central Command released a video of its jets taking off from an aircraft carrier, with CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla stating that the Houthis would be held accountable for their “illegal and dangerous actions.”
Several countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Bahrain, and South Korea, voiced their support for the US-British bombardment.
“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let our message be clear: we will not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce,” the countries said in a joint statement released by the White House.
Al-Dailami Air Base, situated north of Sanaa, was reportedly targeted by American and British aircraft, as per statements from the local Al-Masirah TV station.
Moreover, Hodeidah Airport faced attacks, according to a report from Lebanese news channel Al Mayadden.
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Fadel Abu Taleb, a prominent Houthi official, expressed on X that the airstrikes would not yield results and would not deter the Yemeni people from supporting the Palestinians.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, another senior Houthi figure, labeled the coalition’s attack as “the greatest folly in their history,” according to Al Jazeera.
Riyadh has called for “restraint” and urged parties to “avoid escalation.” The Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that the Kingdom was closely monitoring the military operations in the Red Sea and the raids in Yemen.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin specified that the strikes aimed at Houthis’ unmanned aerial vehicles, ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as coastal radar and air surveillance capabilities. He asserted the United States’ right to take further actions to protect its forces.
UK Secretary of Defense Grant Shapps announced that four Eurofighter Typhoon jets carried out precision strikes on two Houthi military sites.
Russia has urgently requested a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the escalating situation in Yemen.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak released a statement, attributing targeted strikes by the Royal Air Force against Houthi military facilities in Yemen.
He accused the Houthis of destabilizing commercial shipping in the Red Sea, describing the actions as “limited, necessary, and proportionate” in self-defense, emphasizing the need to address the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.