The armed forces of the United States and the United Kingdom carried out operations targeting multiple Houthi installations in regions of Yemen under Houthi control on Thursday.
This action represents a substantial reaction following explicit warnings from the Biden administration and its allies.
The warnings emphasized that the Iran-backed Houthi group would face repercussions for their repeated deployment of drones and missiles, targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
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President Joe Biden stated that he authorized the strikes “in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea.”
US and Coalition Forces Target 60+ Houthi-Controlled Sites
US and coalition forces carried out deliberate strikes on more than 60 targets across 16 locations controlled by Iranian-backed Houthi militants.
The targets included command and control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities, and air defense radar systems, as detailed in a statement from US Air Forces Central Commander Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich.
Over 100 precision-guided munitions of various types were employed in these strikes.
This military action reflects the increasing international concern over the threat to one of the world’s most vital waterways.
Despite efforts to avoid direct strikes on Yemen in recent weeks due to the risk of escalation amid regional tensions, ongoing Houthi attacks on international shipping compelled the coalition to take action.
While the US has previously conducted strikes against Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria during the Gaza conflict, this marks the first confirmed strike against the Houthis in Yemen.
The strikes involved fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles, targeting over a dozen Houthi locations.
Missiles were launched from air, surface, and sub platforms, with the selected targets chosen to diminish the Houthis’ capability to continue their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as reported by a US official to CNN.
Houthi Attacks Prompt Biden’s Thursday Strikes
The Houthi assaults on Red Sea shipping this Tuesday were the tipping point that led President Biden to authorize the US to proceed with Thursday’s strikes, as per a senior US official’s statement.
Despite ongoing preparations, the decision to proceed with the strikes was influenced by the severity of the recent Houthi attacks.
In recent weeks, President Biden has carefully considered the potential for strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen while weighing the risk of a heightened crisis in the Middle East.
His reluctance to order direct action stems from concerns about being more deeply involved in an expanding conflict—an outcome that US officials believe could align with Iran’s objectives.