The U.S. and British militaries conducted retaliatory strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday evening following a cascade of attacks on commercial shipping.
The Houthis have launched at least 27 drone and missile attacks against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the US military said Thursday, saying the attacks are in response to Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza.
The strikes took place early Friday morning Sanaa time and are the first time the US has conducted deliberate strikes against Houthi targets since the group began attacking international shipping in late 2023, according to Reuters, citing four US officials.
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According to The Financial Times, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was preparing to authorize strikes against the Houthis after meeting with the National Security Council and briefing parliament. According to US officials, the Pentagon has already identified potential targets.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Western diplomats discussed the possibility of strikes with maritime CEOs. According to the executives, potential targets include missile and drone launch sites, radars, weapons depots, and infrastructure in Sanaa.
In preparation for strikes, Houthi forces had bunkered down and taken steps to conceal sensitive assets, according to US officials.
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The BBC reported earlier on Thursday that Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi threatened to retaliate if the US struck.
“Any American attack will not remain without a response. The response will be greater than the attack that was carried out with twenty drones and a number of missiles,” he said in a televised address, referring to a Wednesday attack local time that was the largest since the group began targeting commercial ships in October.
The United Kingdom has a destroyer in the Red Sea and is part of a US-led coalition called Operation Prosperity Guardian, which aims to deter strikes and reassure international shipping of the vessels’ safety.
The Pentagon previously declined to comment on rumored plans to strike the Houthis earlier Thursday.
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