Yemen Strike
SANAA/ GAZA: The United States carried out another strike against Houthi forces in Yemen, targeting a radar site, following President Joe Biden’s commitment to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea. This strike occurred after previous American and British strikes on Houthi facilities.
The guided-missile destroyer Carney utilized Tomahawk missiles in the recent strike to diminish the Houthis’ capacity to attack maritime vessels. The U.S. Central Command stated that this action aimed to protect commercial vessels from potential Houthi threats.
The initial strikes, conducted by U.S. and British warplanes, ships, and submarines, targeted Houthi-controlled areas across Yemen. Biden warned of further strikes if the Houthis persist in attacking merchant and military vessels in the strategically significant Red Sea. The Pentagon claimed that the assault reduced the Houthi’s capability to launch new attacks, hitting 60 targets in 28 sites.
The Houthis vowed retaliation, and witness reports confirmed explosions at military bases in Sanaa, Taiz, a naval base in Hodeidah, and military sites in the coastal Hajjah governorate. The U.S. military’s objective was to disrupt the Houthis’ ability to store, launch, and guide missiles or drones, which they have used to threaten Red Sea shipping.
In response to the strikes, concerns mounted about the regional conflict’s escalation, with the Red Sea crisis linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Biden’s administration had removed the Houthis from the State Department’s list of “foreign terrorist organizations” in 2021. The strikes faced mixed international reactions, with some countries providing support, while others expressed concerns about potential escalation.
