US and UK launch joint strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen for the second time: Fighter jets, warships and submarines pound missile launch facilities across the country in retaliation for Iran-backed militia’s Red Sea ship attacks
- This is the eighth US attack on Houthi targets in Yemen, but the second joint operation with Britain
- The first joint operation between the US and the UK was carried out on January 11: Monday’s strikes came after Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke on the phone
- The Pentagon did not confirm what the targets of Monday’s attack were: CBS News reported they targeted a range of targets, including radars
US and British forces carried out a second round of attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen on Monday – the latest move against the Iran-linked group over its attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
The attacks were the eighth launched by the US, but only the second joint effort. The first joint strikes were on January 11.
Monday’s strikes were ordered by Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after the two spoke on the phone earlier in the day.
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, claim their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians under attack by Israel in Gaza.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not say how many targets were hit.
In the past, US and British forces have mainly hit Houthi missiles and radar sites.
A British Typhoon aircraft takes off from Royal Air Force Base Akrotiri in Cyprus to take part in airstrikes in Houthi-controlled Yemen earlier this month. The second series of joint strikes was launched on Monday
Houthi rebels are pictured at a tribal gathering near Sanaa, Yemen, on Monday
The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping and fueled fears of global inflation. They have also heightened concerns that the fallout from the war between Israel and Hamas could destabilize the Middle East.
But multiple U.S. strikes over the past month have failed to stop Houthi attacks on shipping.
Container ships pause or divert from the Red Sea leading to the Suez Canal, the fastest freight route from Asia to Europe. Many ships are forced to take the longer route via the Cape of Good Hope.