U.S. and U.K. forces combined to hit 36 Iran-backed Houthi rebel targets across 13 locations in Yemen on Saturday, marking the third joint mission between the two Western allies in the Middle Eastern nation.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the strikes were intended to degrade the Houthis’ capabilities to carry out attacks against commercial vessels in the frequently navigated waterways off Yemen’s coast.
The last two strikes happened on Jan. 11 and 22, to which the Houthis responded by targeting the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda, resulting in a fire on Jan. 27. The U.S. and U.K. also had the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand in their joint strike.
“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,” a joint statement from all involved countries reads.
U.S. forces also destroyed six missiles in Yemen on Saturday. U.S. Central Command targeted the anti-ship cruise missiles as they appeared to pose a threat to Navy ships. At the time of the attack, the missiles were prepared to launch toward ships in the Red Sea, as the Houthis have done more than 30 times since mid-November 2023.
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“This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels,” a U.S. Central Command statement reads.
Saturday’s strikes were the third from the U.S. in the last 24 hours. Syria and Iraq also were targeted after attacks against the U.S. military in those countries. More strikes are expected against Iraq.
