The United States and the United Kingdom carried out strikes against eighteen Houthi targets at eight different locations in Yemen on Saturday evening, February 24, in response to attacks by those Iran-backed rebels on ships in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists present in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, heard loud explosions on Saturday. A security source close to the Houthis, interviewed by AFP, confirmed the reality of these US-British attacks shortly afterwards.
The pro-Iranian insurgents, whose stronghold is Sanaa, have vowed to “respond to the US-British escalation with more sophisticated military operations against all enemy targets in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea to defend our land, our people and our country. “Our nation,” said a statement from Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree.
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These joint airstrikes in Yemen were carried out with other countries supporting the operation: Canada, Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand, a joint statement from the eight countries said.
The Houthi rebels “will suffer the consequences” of their attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned on Saturday, shortly after the attacks were announced. “The United States will not hesitate to take action when necessary to protect lives and free trade,” the Pentagon chief added.
In addition to joint operations with Britain, the United States has carried out unilateral attacks on Houthi sites in Yemen and shot down dozens of missiles and drones in the Red Sea.
Earlier on Saturday, the US military's Middle East Command (Centcom) announced that a US Navy ship had fired an anti-ship ballistic missile “from areas in Yemen controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis into the Gulf of Aden was fired.” The missile “likely targeted the MS Torm Thor, an American-flagged chemical tanker/oil tanker operated by the United States,” Centcom said on X on Saturday.
On Friday, American forces said they shot down three attack drones belonging to Yemen's Houthi rebels and destroyed seven land-based anti-ship missiles in the Red Sea during the day.
Royal Air Force carried out raids on “two locations”.
In London, the Ministry of Defense confirmed the Royal Air Force's involvement in Saturday's attacks, saying four Typhoon fighter-bombers and two tankers had been mobilized. The British planes targeted “multiple targets” focused on “two locations,” a ministry press release said.
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Other similar US-British attacks on Yemeni territory have taken place in recent weeks, the first time on the night of January 11-12.
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The British navy-run maritime safety agency UKMTO said a ship in the Gulf of Aden, 70 nautical miles (130 kilometers) east of the port of Djibouti, reported “an explosion near the ship” on Saturday night caused no damage or injuries. “The ship is on its way to its next port of call,” the same source said.
Houthi rebels, who control large areas of Yemen, have been carrying out attacks on ships in the region since November 2023. They claim to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is waging a war against Hamas in retaliation for the unprecedented attack on Israeli soil on October 7.
British ships in sight
“The more than 45 Houthi attacks on commercial and military vessels since mid-November 2023 pose a threat to the global economy and regional stability and security and require an international response.” “Our coalition of like-minded countries remains committed to freedom “To protect shipping and international trade and to hold the Houthis accountable for their illegal and unjustified attacks,” the eight allied countries said in their statement.
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Saturday's airstrikes represent Britain's “fourth round of precision strikes” against rebels in Yemen, according to a statement from British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps on X.
In recent days, the Houthis have particularly attacked two ships linked to British interests, including the Rubymar, which was the target of a missile attack and is losing fuel in the Gulf of Aden.
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