On Thursday, US and UK forces conducted a series of coordinated airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, marking the first such operation in over three months. The strikes, confirmed by US Central Command, aimed at degrading the capabilities of the Iran-backed Houthi group, which has been responsible for numerous attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
⚡ The U.S. and Britain confirm the reports of the attacks against Houthi targets
“The attacks tonight are the most violent on Sana’a since the beginning of the aggression against our country.” – A Houthi source pic.twitter.com/pwHh6XM1Da
— War Watch (@WarWatchs) January 22, 2024
The coalition strikes targeted 13 Houthi sites, including underground facilities, missile launchers, command and control centers, and a Houthi vessel. This operation is the fifth round of coalition strikes against the Houthis, underscoring the persistent threat they pose to international maritime security. The attacks took place in Hodeida and other parts of Yemen under Houthi control, resulting in significant casualties. According to Houthi-run Al-Masirah news network, at least 16 people were killed, and 42 others were wounded.
In addition to the coalition strikes, the US unilaterally destroyed eight aerial attack drones over Yemen and the Red Sea, further disrupting Houthi operations. The Houthi response included a missile attack aimed at the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, although US defense officials reported no damage.
The Houthis have increased their attacks on commercial vessels and US Navy ships in the region, coinciding with the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US and UK strikes were in response to this surge, targeting key Houthi infrastructure to diminish their operational capabilities. US Central Command confirmed that recent Houthi missile attacks had struck a Greek-owned merchant ship in the Red Sea, although no injuries were reported.
🚨 Yemen🇾🇪
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Visual of dry bulk ship Zographia being hit by a missile fired by terrorist Yemeni Houthi ( 17/01/2024) 3 days ago. It is a Greek owned bulk carrier ship. pic.twitter.com/kOsx6Dij8a— I$lami© T€rrorist (@raviagrawal3) January 19, 2024
Yemen’s Houthis have intensified their actions, targeting international shipping since November as a gesture of solidarity with Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war. The strikes by US and UK forces aim to protect these critical shipping routes from further disruption by the Houthi militia.
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