Jan 13, 2024 at 3:00 AM Update: an hour ago
US forces carried out new attacks on the Houthi rebels in Yemen on Friday night. Two anonymous American officials reported this CNN and Reuters news agency. They did not provide details about the attacks.
The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea with drones and missiles since late last year, as a sign of support for Hamas and the Palestinians. The attacks have disrupted international trade on the main route between Europe and Asia. About 15 percent of global shipping traffic goes via that route.
It is the second night in a row that the United States and the United Kingdom have carried out attacks. The Netherlands announced on Thursday that it had provided “non-operational military” support to the action. Australia, Bahrain and Canada also helped. It is not clear what share those parties have in this second attack.
According to American media, the first operation targeted training facilities and drone warehouses, among other things. American and British aircraft were used in the attack. US Navy ships launched missiles into the Red Sea. The new target is said to have been a Houthi radar installation.
Local media speak of attacks on the capital Sanaa. Residents also write on social media about several loud explosions.
“The United Kingdom will always stand up for freedom of navigation and unfettered free trade,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said afterwards. British naval vessels will continue to patrol the Red Sea to deter the Houthis from further actions against ships, he said.
Houthi rebels threaten retaliation
Leaders of the Houthi movement announced on Friday that they would hit back hard. According to Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the response to the bombardment by the US, the United Kingdom and the four allies, including the Netherlands, will be the largest operation yet. He also calls on Yemenis to take to the streets on Friday.
“America and Britain will have to prepare to pay a high price and bear all the horror of this blatant aggression,” Hussein al-Ezzi, another Houthi leader, wrote on X.
The US government is considering retaliation. “We wouldn’t be surprised if we see a response to this,” a government spokesperson told the press. “But we do expect that this action has weakened the Houthis’ ability and will reduce their ability to carry out these attacks.”
Houthis receive support from Iran and focus on Israel
The Houthis are engaged in a civil war with the government in Yemen. The rebels control part of the country. They are supported by Iran, which supplies weapons, money and technology.
Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, Yemeni rebels have regularly bombarded ships in the Red Sea with drones and missiles. The Houthis mainly target ships sailing to and from Israel and express their support for the Palestinians.
The rebels say they will continue to attack ships with Israeli ties as long as the war between Israel and Hamas continues. The Americans and British recently warned the Houthis of consequences if they continued the attacks.
The US and UK on Wednesday repulsed what they said was the largest Houthi attack in the Red Sea to date. The US said on Thursday that the Houthis have carried out 27 attacks since November 19.
2024-01-13 02:00:48
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