US and UK launch fresh strikes on Yemen's Houthis in retaliation for attacks
The US and Britain begin new strikes on Yemen's Houthis in retaliation for attacks by the Iran-backed militants.
The UK has joined the US in further strikes against Houthi locations in Yemen involved in the campaign targeting shipping in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab, the Ministry of Defence has said. It is thought tonight's strikes have killed around 40 people.
RAF FGR4s were supported by Voyager tankers, with the Typhoons employing Paveway IV precision guided bombs “against multiple military targets identified by careful intelligence analysis at three locations”, the MoD said.
“At As Salif, due west of Sanaa on the Red Sea coast, our aircraft targeted a ground control station inside a defensive position. This station had been used to control Houthi drones, both attack and reconnaissance types, launched from further inland, operating over the sea against international shipping.
“A second drone ground control station was confirmed to be at Al Munirah, on the same stretch of coastline. As with As Salif, the station provided direct control of reconnaissance and attack drones targeting shipping in the Red Sea, its position on the coast allowing it to maintain the line of sight data links such weapons require to target ships with any accuracy.
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“The Typhoons also attacked a significant number of targets at Bani. An initial group of facilities there were successfully struck by the RAF on the night of January 11, and since then a further set of buildings at the site had been positively confirmed as involved in the Houthi drone and missile operations and were duly targeted on this occasion.”
(HOUTHIS MEDIA CENTER/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The Houthis’ attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea are illegal and unacceptable and it is our duty to protect innocent lives and preserve freedom of navigation.
“That is why the Royal Air Force engaged in a third wave of proportionate and targeted strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen. We acted alongside our US allies, with the support of many international partners, in self-defence and in accordance with international law.
“This is not an escalation. We have already successfully targeted launchers and storage sites involved in Houthi attacks, and I am confident that our latest strikes have further degraded the Houthis’ capabilities.
“Having recently met those British personnel stationed in the region, I know the dedication and professionalism with which they serve our nation’s armed forces and I would like to thank them for ensuring this operation was a success.”
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A joint statement on the strikes from the UK, US, Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand said it was “an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen”.
The statement said: “These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade, and the lives of innocent mariners, and are in response to a series of illegal, dangerous, and destabilising Houthi actions since previous coalition strikes on January 11 and 22 2024, including the January 27 attack which struck and set ablaze the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda.
“Today’s strike specifically targeted sites associated with the Houthis’ deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defence systems, and radars. The Houthis’ now more than 30 attacks on commercial vessels and naval vessels since mid-November constitute an international challenge.
“Recognising the broad consensus of the international community, our coalition of like-minded countries committed to upholding the rules-based order has continued to grow. We remain committed to protecting freedom of navigation and international commerce and holding the Houthis accountable for their illegal and unjustifiable attacks on commercial shipping and naval vessels. Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats."
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