U.S. and U.K. launch aerial assault on Yemen, attack multiple areas across country
Sanaa (Quds News Network) – The United States and the United Kingdom carried out airstrikes this early morning on Yemen, allegedly in response to the Houthi movement targeting Israeli and Israeli-bound ships through the Red Sea in solidarity with Gaza.
The deputy head of the media body for Yemen’s Houthi movement confirmed five intense explosions in the coastal city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea, resulting from aggressive shelling.
Al Houthis' spokesperson to Al Jazeera: There is no alliance, rather it is an American-British aggression. We communicated with other countries announced as part of the alliance that targeted us and they confirmed that they are not part of it.
The US President had said that "US… pic.twitter.com/X8X67yecnH
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) January 12, 2024
Other media sources reported four powerful explosions in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, with a Houthi leader stating, “Multiple airstrikes on Sanaa, Hodeidah, Saada, and Dhamar.”
He added, “We stand with Palestine and will not back down from our stance, responding to any aggression against us.”
A U.S. official stated that the strikes targeted radar sites, drone platforms, missiles, and coastal monitoring locations, asserting that the operation has concluded but maintaining the “right” to respond if threats persist, according to Al Jazeera.
BREAKING 🇾🇪 The US-UK bombing campaign in Yemen has begun.
— Progressive International (@ProgIntl) January 12, 2024
A U.S. defense official indicated that the strikes against Houthi rebel sites in Yemen involved naval vessels, warplanes, and submarines. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the attacks aimed to counter the Houthi attacks on Israeli-bound ships.
Austin said that the strikes in Yemen targeted “Houthi capabilities for drones, unmanned boats, coastal radars, and aerial reconnaissance.”
The UK’s Defense Secretary, Grant Shapps, mentioned that Typhoon aircraft executed precise strikes on two military targets of the Houthi fighters in Yemen alongside U.S. forces.
The British Ministry of Defense reported that four Typhoon fighters conducted attacks in Yemen with assistance from a refueling aircraft. It said British planes targeted a site for launching drones northwest of Yemen and a base for launching cruise missiles and drones in the Abs area.
The ministry stated that initial signs indicate a blow to the Houthi group’s ability to threaten commercial ships.
The Wall Street Journal cited a U.S. official saying that the U.S.-led coalition carried out over 12 airstrikes against Houthi targets.
These airstrikes are believed to be the first conducted by the United States against the Houthi rebels in Yemen since 2016.
It’s worth noting that the Yemeni armed forces have beeb targeting ships owned or operated by Israeli companies, or carrying goods from and to Israel when passing through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
This has led several major shipping companies to avoid sailing through the Red Sea.
On December 18, the United States announced the formation of a joint naval force from multiple countries, claiming it aims to “deter” Houthi attacks against Israeli and Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea.
