US and UK strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen: From Tomahawks to Response over red sea threats

The strike was conducted using planes and surface and submarine vessels. It marks the first attack on the group backed by Iran since it started its assaults on international shipping in the Red Sea, as stated by Reuters.

President Joe Biden of the United States confirmed these attacks.

"U.S. and U.K. military forces, backed by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, effectively executed strikes in Yemen against Houthi rebel targets," Biden reported. He further emphasized the strikes as a response to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

White House representatives assured journalists that the Yemenite strike was focused on radar, missile, and drone facilities, stressing that the aim was not to escalate the conflict.

A Pentagon representative chose not to disclose the number of targets destroyed and the type of ammunition used but announced that details would be soon released by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). Even though the strike did not take out all of Houthi's offensive capabilities, it had a substantial impact, as per Washington authorities.

The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, wrote in a statement following the British-American raid, "The Royal Air Force executed targeted strikes on military targets utilized by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Over the recent months, the Houthi militia has carried out a series of threatening and destabilizing attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, menacing British and other international ships."

Following the attack, the British Ministry of Defense also released a statement shedding light on some operation details. The statement addressed concerns about the potential threat to bystanders in Yemen, explaining that special precautions were taken to minimize civilian risk.

Photos and videos from the attacks continue to surface online. Bombings continue in the capital city of Yemen. Loud explosions can also be heard in the Taiz, Hodeidah, and Al-Hudaydah regions.

A representative from the Houthi group informed that air raids are ongoing in several Yemeni cities and that the "United States and the United Kingdom will pay a high price" for the executed attacks.

The U.S. Defense Minister, Lloyd Austin, led the night operation despite being in the hospital due to complications from prostate cancer surgery, according to CNN.

The Times of Israel reported that the Yemeni rebels Houthis are strengthening their positions in expectation of an attack by the United States and the United Kingdom. Yemeni rebel leaders have come up with a list of potential targets that could get attacked, including radar stations and drone launch sites near significant cities controlled by the rebels.

The Times of Israel reports that the Iran-backed Houthis have moved their missiles to bunkers in densely populated areas of the capital city, Sanaa.

Earlier on Thursday, the U.S. army reported the launch of a ballistic missile by the Houthis toward shipping routes in the Gulf of Aden. It was their 27th such attack since mid-November.

The Netherlands, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands provided non-operational support for the actions of the United States and the United Kingdom. Several countries, including Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan, issued a joint statement on the attacks, pledging to defend life and protect the free flow of commerce.

Since the actualization of the war between Hamas and Israel, the Houthis declared their intention to strike Israel-associated ships heading to Israeli ports. Several of the targeted vessels, however, had no connection with Israel.

The administration representatives justify President Biden's caution as a reluctance to escalate tensions in the Middle East.

Source: PAP, Reuters, CNN, Twitter