US, UK Allies Launch Another Strike On Houthi Targets In Yemen

The US, UK and its allies have launched a fresh round of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

The US, UK and its allies have launched a fresh round of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

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The US, UK and its allies have launched another fresh round of strikes on the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen as the retaliatory attacks trigger fears of escalation of regional confict in the Middle East, stemming from differences over the Israel-Hamas war and the impact on Gaza.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin the US and the UK  were backed by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand in conducting the additional strikes.

"Militaries from the United States and United Kingdom conducted additional strikes against the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. This collective action sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will continue to bear further consequences if they do not end their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels. We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways,” Austin said.

He said the fresh strikes were aimed at disrupting and degrading the Houthi capabilities and to deter then from attacking vessels in the Red Sea.

Austin said the attacks targeted 13 locations which had the Houthis' deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defence systems, and radars.

A joint statement released by the United States, the United Kingdom, and their coalition partners announced that military forces from the US and UK, supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, carried out a new series of targeted strikes against 36 Houthi objectives across 13 locations in Yemen.

These strikes were conducted in response to ongoing Houthi assaults on international and commercial vessels, as well as naval ships navigating the Red Sea.

The decision to conduct these strikes was prompted by a string of illicit, hazardous, and destabilizing actions by the Houthis following previous coalition operations on January 11 and 22, 2024, including the attack on January 27 which resulted in the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda being struck and set ablaze.

The statement specified that the latest strike targeted locations linked to the Houthis' concealed weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, and radar installations.

The Houthis' more than 30 assaults on commercial and naval vessels since mid-November pose a significant international challenge.

Citing the widespread agreement of the international community, the coalition of allied nations dedicated to upholding the rules-based order emphasized its continued expansion. The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding freedom of navigation and global commerce, while holding the Houthis accountable for their unlawful and unjustified attacks on commercial and naval shipping.