The US and the UK have carried out airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, in response to the rebel group’s attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea.
According to US officials, the airstrikes hit a number of Houthi targets, including logistical hubs, air defence systems and weapons storage locations. The strikes were aimed at “degrading the Houthis’ ability to threaten maritime security in the region”, the officials said.
The US President, Joe Biden, said the attacks were necessary to protect “one of the world’s most vital waterways” from the Houthi rebels, who have been fighting a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen since 2015. Biden said the US was committed to supporting the coalition and the UN-led peace efforts in Yemen.
Four loud explosions on Thursday night were heard in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, but saw no sign of warplanes in the sky. The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the airstrikes, but earlier on Thursday, they warned that any US attack would not go unanswered.
The Houthi attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea have escalated in recent weeks, raising concerns about the safety of the vital trade route that connects Asia and Europe. The US and the UK have accused the Houthis of using Iranian-made drones and missiles to target the vessels, a charge that the rebels and Iran deny.
The airstrikes come amid a renewed diplomatic push to end the war in Yemen, which has killed tens of thousands of people and caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, has been shuttling between the warring parties to broker a ceasefire and resume political talks.