ReutersUS and French naval vessels on their way to the Red Sea in November last year
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 01:14
The United States and the United Kingdom have struck Houthi rebel targets in Yemen in response to the rebels’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
US President Biden and British Prime Minister Sunak say they carried out the attacks with help from the Netherlands, Australia, Canada and Bahrain. They did not say what role those countries played. In a letter to the House of Representatives Foreign Minister Bruins Slot and Defense Minister Ollongren write that the Netherlands has deployed “one staff officer” at the request of the US, in addition to political support.
British media had already reported that such attacks were coming soon. A senior member of the Houthi rebels says attacks have been carried out on the capital Sanaa, Hodeidah governorate and the cities of Sa’dah and Dhamar.
According to a US official, the attacks “have had a significant impact on the Houthis’ ability to attack ships in the Red Sea.” Yemeni Foreign Minister Hussein al-Izzi said on a local TV channel that the US and UK “will pay a high price for this blatant aggression.”
American journalists report that drone warehouses have been attacked, among other things. Several witnesses reported to the Reuters news agency that explosions could be heard in the capital. CNN reports that western Yemen in particular has been bombarded. This is said to have happened with American and British aircraft and from American naval ships sailing in the Red Sea.
Biden and Sunak statement
“These strikes are in direct response to the Houthis’ unprecedented attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea – using ballistic missiles against ships for the first time in history,” Biden said in a statement.
“These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian sailors, and our partners, jeopardized commerce, and threatened the freedom of navigation.” Biden says he “will not hesitate” to take further action to protect people and the free flow of trade.
British Prime Minister Sunak said in a statement that “the United Kingdom will always stand up for freedom of navigation and free trade.” He therefore says that the UK, together with the US and with “non-operational military support” from the other countries, carried out “a limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence” against Houthi targets. Sunak called on rebels to “immediately stop their attacks and take steps to de-escalate”.
Outgoing Prime Minister Rutte writes on X that the Netherlands supports the US and UK operation. “The Netherlands, as a traditionally seafaring country, attaches great importance to the right to free passage and supports this targeted operation.”
The rocket a drones
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have been attacking ships in the Red Sea with alleged ties to Israel for weeks. They do this out of dissatisfaction with the war in the Gaza Strip. Ships that have to pass through Yemen have been shot at with missiles and drones for weeks. Many ships have avoided the Red Sea since then.
The Americans and the British want to put an end to this with air strikes on Houthi targets. It is the first time that the Iranian-backed rebel group has been attacked for its attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
NOSThe Red Sea runs from the Suez Canal to Bab el Mandeb
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said yesterday that the Houthis will respond to an attack. The response will be more powerful than the attack with dozens of drones and missiles that the Houthis launched on Wednesday. “We remain committed to attacking ships with links to Israel and we will not deviate from that.”
The Houthis are on the side of the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas. They say they attack Israeli ships and ships sailing to or from Israel, but lately they have also increasingly attacked ships that have a less clear link with Israel.
The UN Security Council previously demanded that the Yemeni rebel group immediately stop their attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Eleven members voted in favor of the resolution and four countries, including Russia and China, abstained.
2024-01-12 00:14:05
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