On January 22, 2024, the US and UK launch fresh strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The attacks were carried out by manned aircraft and ships and were the second round of strikes the two militaries have launched against Houthi sites in Yemen. The last round was on January 11. The latest operation, which was supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, struck eight Houthi sites in Yemen “used to attack international merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.” The targets included missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars, and deeply-buried weapons storage facilities.
Background
The Houthis are an Iranian-backed militia group that controls large swaths of territory in Yemen. They have launched dozens of attacks against commercial ships and military vessels in the Red Sea in recent years. The group says the strikes are in retaliation for Israel’s bombing of Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The violence has further fueled fears that the conflict in Israel could escalate into a regional war.
Purpose of the strikes
The strikes are intended to degrade Houthi capability to continue their reckless and US and UK launch fresh strikes. ships as well as international commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. The U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the strikes were “proportionate and necessary” and aimed at protecting the free flow of commerce.
International support
The latest operation was supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands. The joint statement said the strikes were carried out with a very rigorous analysis to minimize any risk of civilian casualties, and as with the previous strikes, the aircraft bombed at night to mitigate any such risks.
Previous strikes
This is the eighth strike by the U.K & U.S. strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. It is the second joint operation with the U.K., after joint strikes were carried out on January 11. The U.S. has struck several Houthi targets on its own to prevent the group from attacking ships in the Red Sea.
Reactions
UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps described the strikes as “self-defense” against the Houthis’ “aggressive actions.” He added that the strikes were aimed at degrading Houthi capabilities and would deal another blow to their limited resources.The Houthis have not yet commented on the latest strikes. However, they have previously condemned such attacks. saying they violate Yemen’s sovereignty and cause civilian casualties.
Conclusion
The US and UK launch fresh strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen to degrade their capability to continue their attacks on international commercial shipping and U.S. and U.K. ships in the region. The latest operation was supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada. and the Netherlands. The strikes were carried out with a very rigorous analysis to minimize any risk of civilian casualties. This is the eighth strike by the U.S. against Houthi targets in Yemen and the second joint operation with the U.K. The strikes have been described as “self-defense” against the Houthis’ “aggressive actions”.
