WASHINGTON, DC – The United States and Britain have launched a joint military operation, targeting over a dozen Iranian-backed Houthi sites in Yemen, according to several U.S. officials. The retaliatory strike, which involved the use of Tomahawk missiles from warships and fighter jets, targeted logistical hubs, air defense systems, and weapons storage locations.
This operation marks the first military response by the U.S. against the Houthis, who have been consistently launching drone and missile attacks on commercial vessels since the commencement of the war in Israel. The coordinated attack comes a week after a final warning was issued to the Houthis by the White House and its allies, threatening potential military action if the attacks did not cease.
The warning seemed to have a temporary effect, as the attacks halted for a few days. However, the Houthi rebels resumed their offensive on Tuesday, launching their largest-ever barrage of drones and missiles at shipping in the Red Sea. In response, U.S. and British ships, along with American fighter jets, shot down 18 drones, two cruise missiles, and an anti-ship missile. The Houthis continued their assault on Thursday, firing an anti-ship ballistic missile into the Gulf of Aden, which was observed by a commercial ship but did not result in a hit.
The Houthi rebels, who have executed 27 attacks involving dozens of drones and missiles since November 19, warned on Thursday that any American attack on its sites in Yemen would trigger a severe military response.