US and UK Conduct Strikes on Houthi Targets in Yemen

Strikes Target Houthi Facilities

The US and UK have conducted strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen from air and surface platforms, including fighter jets, with the support of several other countries. At least 30 targets were struck across at least 10 locations, according to two US officials.

The targets included command and control; an underground weapons storage facility; and other weapons used by the Houthis to target international shipping lanes, one official said.

“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats,” the US and UK said in a joint statement with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

Earlier Saturday, the US struck six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles before they were launched toward the Red Sea, US Central Command said.

Biden Administration’s Multi-Tiered Response

The strikes on consecutive days come as the Biden administration has adopted a “multi-tiered” response to a drone attack that killed three US service members and wounded scores more last weekend.

Seeking to avoid a regional war with Tehran, the US has not targeted Iran directly, instead going after some of its most powerful proxies in the region. It is an indirect way of trying to send a message to Iran’s leadership, which has grown increasingly nervous about the actions of some of the militant organizations it backs, CNN has reported. Iran funds, arms, and supplies these groups to different degrees, but its leadership does not control them directly.

Distinct Strikes in Yemen and Middle East

The strikes in Yemen are distinct from the attacks in Iraq and Syria on Friday: The former is a response to ongoing Houthi attacks on international shipping lanes and US warships in the Red Sea, while the latter is a retaliation for a deadly attack on US troops. But both target Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East.

Further Disruption of Houthi Militia

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the most recent strikes “are intended to further disrupt and degrade the capabilities” of the Houthi militia.

“This collective action sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will continue to bear further consequences if they do not end their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels,” Austin said in a statement Saturday. “We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways.”

Continued Efforts to Counter Iranian-Backed Groups

Almost exactly 24 hours after the first US weapons hit their targets in Iraq and Syria, the US carried out more strikes in Yemen.

Saturday’s strikes, which utilized F/A-18s, are the third time in recent weeks the US and UK attacked Houthi targets as part of a joint operation. On January 11, the two militaries struck approximately 30 Houthi sites. Less than two weeks later, the US and UK struck another eight sites.

The previous strikes targeted Houthi weapons storage facilities and radar sites in an attempt to disrupt the ability of the Iran-backed rebel group to attack international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, some of the world’s most critical waterways.

But the Houthis have remained defiant, vowing after the last round of US-led strikes they are “more determined to confront” what they called the US and UK “aggressors.”

US Actions to Protect Shipping Lanes

In addition to the larger scale strikes on Houthi targets, the US has carried out smaller attacks on Houthi weaponry. On Friday, US forces struck four Houthi drones that US Central Command says were prepared to launch and posed an “imminent threat” to shipping lanes and US warships. The same day, US forces, including a guided missile destroyer and an F/A-18 fighter jet, shot down a total of eight drones over the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Contributor

CNN’s Kaanita Iyer contributed to this report.