U.S. and Britain Launch Strikes in Yemen

(BrightPress.org) – Western militaries coordinated their strikes on Houthi-controlled Yemen last week, as many as 16 sites were hit with various levels of “precision-guided” weapons in response to a series of Houthi attacks on cargo and shipping vessels in the Red Sea. The U.S.-led strikes were carried out on January 11th.

The Houthis have claimed they will continue to attack vessels they believe are headed for Israeli ports as part of their response against continued Israeli military presence in Gaza.

The strikes represent an inflation of the conflict beyond the borders of Israel which the U.S. was working hard to prevent. The Houthis vowed retaliation in response to the attacks on their territory and maintained their willingness to continue to attack shipping vessels.

The U.S. and U.K.-led strikes were launched from the air and sea using long-range weapons. U.S. authorities claimed they targeted weapons stockpiles, command headquarters, and air defense systems, as well as production facilities.

In commentary regarding the strikes, President Joe Biden said the attacks were aimed at stopping the Houthis from threatening shipping vessels. He called the action defensive, and said he wanted to send the Houthis a “clear message” that continued strikes on the Red Sea will not be tolerated.

Biden warned of further consequences should the attacks continue.

Houthis reported that 73 of their sites had been hit and at least five of their men had been killed with six injuries. The rebels vowed that the strikes would not go unpunished.

Vice President of the Houthi Media Authority Nasr Aldeen Amer called the strikes “brutal aggression.” He said that the Houthis will continue to support the Palestinian cause “whatever the cost.”

The Houthis have controlled Yemen following their rise to power after the 2011 Arab Spring protests. The Iran-backed militia became the governing authority in Yemen roughly three years after the protests.

Yemen and Saudi Arabia had been engaged in a drawn-out conflict which began to simmer down last year shortly before the war in Israel began with a Hamas surprise attack on Israel on October 7th.