The United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) conducted airstrikes for the eighth time on Houthi rebel positions in Yemen early on Tuesday.
The US and UK targeted Houthi bases using warships, ships, and submarines in response to Houthi attacks on commercial ships during the Gaza war, causing tension in the region.
Houthi-run Al Masirah TV confirmed that the airstrikes took place in Yemen’s Sanaa, Taiz, and Bayda provinces, including the al-Dailami air base near the capital Sanaa.
US defense officials reported that the strikes hit multiple targets at eight Houthi sites, including an underground storage facility, missile launching sites, and other locations linked to Houthi surveillance capabilities.
The statement said that the attacks aim to weaken the Houthi’s ability to target commercial ships in the Middle East, thereby safeguarding international trade in the Red Sea.
A senior US military official told reporters that the attack sites were deliberately chosen to target weapons systems, minimizing potential casualties. The official estimated that the underground storage facility contained “more advanced conventional weapons” than the sites hit in the first round of attacks on January 11.
It is worth noting that about 15 percent of the world’s maritime traffic passes through the Red Sea. Global trade has been impacted by Houthi attacks since the start of the Gaza war, leading major shipping companies to opt for longer and more expensive routes around Africa for maritime trade.
“There will be no hesitation in protecting the waterway,” and “these precision strikes are in response to the illegal, dangerous, and destabilizing actions of the Houthis,” stated the US and UK.
The latest attacks received support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands.
“We will not hesitate to defend the free flow of lives and commerce in one of the world’s most important waterways in the face of persistent threats,” the statement added.