The US and Britain carried out air and sea strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen overnight on Friday, the 12th of January, in response to the group’s attacks on Red Sea shipping routes, dramatically escalating the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza, reports Reuters.
The US said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands supported the operation, portraying the attacks as an international initiative aimed at restoring the free flow of trade on the vital route between Europe and Asia, given that the Houthis have attacked 27 vessels in the Red Sea since late December.
“These strikes send a clear message that the US and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel
or allow hostile groups to threaten freedom of navigation,” said Reuters, quoting US President Joe Biden.
As Iran condemned the US strikes, a Houthi spokesman said they would continue to attack ships bound for Israel in a show of support for the Palestinians and the Islamist group Hamas, claiming that the US and the UK had attacked without any justification.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is in hospital due to complications surrounding the operation, said in a statement that the strikes targeted Houthi drones, missiles, coastal radars and aerial surveillance equipment, with attacks being carried out by aircraft, ships and submarines to weaken Houthi military capabilities.
A US official said that attacks were being carried out in more than ten locations against military bases and Houthi officials confirmed air strikes in Sanaa, Saada, Dhamar and Hodeidah province, calling it “American, Zionist and British aggression”.
BNN already reported that the US and allies warned the Houthis of “consequences” if the attacks in the Red Sea continued, given the increasing drone, missile attacks and robberies by Houthi militants on commercial ships sailing in the Red Sea, leading several cargo carriers to hide their positions and consider other routes.
Also read: With killing of Hamas leader Gaza war spreads to Lebanon
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