Collaborating, the US and UK carried out “more than a dozen” airstrikes on Houthi attacks in Yemen on Saturday, as confirmed by two US officials.
This marks the fourth round of joint coalition strikes since Jan. 11 aimed at urging the Houthis to cease their attacks on commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
The airstrikes targeted 18 Houthi locations across eight different areas in Yemen, as per a joint statement issued by a coalition of nations participating in the actions on Saturday.
The coalition included the military forces of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
The strikes focused on Houthi underground weapons storage sites, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems,radars, air defense systems, as well as a helicopter, according to the statement.
US Hits Houthi Weapons in Defensive Strikes
In recent weeks, the United States has additionally conducted over 30 defensive strikes against Houthi weaponry that was deemed “ready to deploy” for the purpose of carrying out assaults on commercial vessels or ships of the US Navy, as reported by US Central Command.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a separate statement on Saturday affirming that the United States is prepared to take necessary measures to safeguard lives and ensure the unimpeded movement of commerce in one of the world’s most vital maritime passages.
He emphasized the commitment to communicate unequivocally to the Houthis that they will face repercussions if they persist in their unlawful assaults.
These attacks not only adversely affect economies in the Middle East but also result in environmental degradation and hinder the distribution of humanitarian assistance to Yemen and neighboring nations.
Since November 19th, despite the series of airstrikes, the Houthis have persisted in launching missiles and drones targeting ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
According to US defense officials, there have been no less than 60 Houthi attacks as of this week.The Houthis have justified their attacks by linking them to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, vowing to continue targeting ships supporting Israel’s campaign.
However, US officials assert that many of the vessels targeted by the Houthis have no affiliation with Israel or the Gaza conflict.