Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea in this photo released on Nov. 20, 2023.
Houthi Military Media | Via Reuters
The United States and the United Kingdom have “successfully conducted strikes” against Houthi targets in Yemen, President Joe Biden said late Thursday.
“Today, at my direction, U.S. military forces — together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands — successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways,” Biden said.
The strikes were “in response to continued illegal, dangerous, and destabilizing Houthi attacks against vessels, including commercial shipping, transiting the Red Sea,” according to a joint statement from the governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States.
According to a senior administration official, the Houthis launched about 20 drones and multiple missiles directly against U.S. ships in the Red Sea on Jan. 9.
“This attack was defeated by the US and UK naval forces,” the official said. “We have no doubt that ships would have been struck and perhaps even sunk, including, in one case, a commercial ship full of jet fuel.”
“These reckless attacks have directly affected the citizens and cargo and commercial interests of more than 50 countries,” the official added.
The Iran-backed militia group began their drone and missile attacks on shipping vessels and cargo ships traversing the Red Sea in December, drawing global condemnation.
The Houthis claim their attacks in the Red Sea are in response to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Israel launched a large scale bombing campaign in the Palestinian enclave after the brutal attacks by Hamas militants on Oct. 7.
More than 20,000 people in Gaza have been killed since, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry.
Since January, global shipping giants including Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM have paused their shipping activities in the Red Sea. Oil major BP has also announced it would “temporarily pause” all transits through the Red Sea.
“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” Biden said.
“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
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