2024-01-23T04:37:30+00:00
A-
A
A+
/ A joint statement by America, Britain, Bahrain and other countries announced the implementation of a strike on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen.
“Today’s strike specifically targeted an underground Houthi storage site and sites associated with Houthi missile and air surveillance capabilities,” the joint statement said.
The statement explained that the new strikes targeted 8 Houthi targets, stressing that “we will not hesitate to defend the free flow of trade in one of the most important waterways in the world in the face of Houthi threats.”
Reuters quoted the British Ministry of Defense as saying that “four Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, supported by two Voyager tankers, joined US forces in the strike against Houthi sites in Yemen.”
The ministry added that “the aircraft used Paveway IV precision-guided bombs to strike several targets at two military sites near Sanaa airport.”
For his part, British Defense Minister Grant Shapps said that this operation “will deal another blow to the Houthis’ limited stockpiles and their ability to threaten global trade.”
Shapps stressed “continuing work to support regional stability in the Middle East.”
Since mid-November, the Houthis have launched several missiles and drones against ships they believe are linked to Israel in the Red Sea, asserting that this comes in solidarity with the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to continuous Israeli bombardment since the Hamas attack on its territory on October 7.
These attacks disrupted shipping in this vital global trade area, and prompted the United States to strike Houthi sites several times and designate them as a terrorist entity.
The Houthis reiterated on Monday that they would continue to “prevent Israeli ships” from crossing the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden until the end of the war in the Palestinian territories and to “respond to any attack” against Yemen.
The Houthis also claimed responsibility on Monday for an attack on a US military ship off the coast of Yemen, but the United States denied any attack had taken place.
According to US military officials, the strikes in Yemen were successful and had a “good effect” at all eight targeted sites.