Joint British-U.S. airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels have resulted in a high death toll of at least 16 people and 42 others wounded. The strikes were in response to increased attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the Israel-Hamas war. The U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets involved in the strikes took off from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, with other U.S. warships in the region also participating.
The strikes targeted a wide range of underground facilities, missile launchers, command and control sites, and a Houthi vessel. The Houthis claimed that a strike hit a building housing Hodeida Radio and civilian homes in the port city on the Red Sea, resulting in civilian casualties. The rebel force, which has held Yemen’s capital Sanaa since 2014, includes fighters who often aren’t in uniform, making it difficult to confirm the status of those killed and injured.
Other strikes hit outside of Sanaa near its airport, and communication equipment in Taiz. The lack of information on those sites likely indicates that Houthi military sites were targeted. Houthi officials have threatened further retaliation against both the U.S. and U.K. for the airstrikes. Yemen’s military spokesman alleged that the rebels targeted the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in response with drones and ballistic missiles, although a U.S. defense official confirmed that the aircraft carrier was fine.
The U.K. Defense Ministry stated that Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s conducted strikes in Hodeida and further south in Ghulayfiqah, targeting buildings housing drone ground control facilities and surface-to-air weapons. The strikes were described as self-defense against the ongoing threat posed by the Houthis. The U.S. and U.K. have been conducting airstrikes against the Houthis since January, with increased attacks following the escalation in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Houthis have increased attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to demand an end to the war in Gaza, which has resulted in thousands of Palestinian casualties. The rebels have launched over 50 attacks on shipping, resulting in the deaths of three sailors, the seizure of a vessel, and the sinking of another. In addition to attacks on shipping, the Houthis claimed to have shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone, raising suspicions about the involvement of the CIA in piloting the drone. Despite these incidents, the U.S. and U.K. continue to carry out airstrikes against the Houthis in response to their actions.
