American President Joe Biden confirmed the information that the Armed Forces of the United States and Great Britain on the night of January 12, 2024 struck Houthi targets in Yemen.
This is stated in the statement of the press service of the White House.
At Bidenʼs direction, the US military, together with Great Britain and with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, "successfully struck a number of facilities in Yemen." The attack was aimed at radar systems, air defense systems, as well as storage and launch sites for drones, cruise and ballistic missiles.
The strikes are a direct response to the Houthisʼ unprecedented attacks on international naval vessels in the Red Sea, including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles.
"More than 50 countries have been affected by 27 attacks on international commercial shipping, crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage during acts of piracy," Biden emphasized.
The US president also said that the response of the international community to these attacks was united and decisive.
"Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a coalition of more than 20 countries committed to protecting international shipping and deterring attacks in the Red Sea. Todayʼs defense action followed a broad diplomatic campaign," Biden said.
He emphasized that these strikes are a clear signal that the US and partners will not be attacked and will not allow freedom of navigation on one of the worldʼs most important commercial routes to be jeopardized.
According to CNN, the strikes were carried out from fighter jets with Tomahawk missiles.
What is happening in the Red Sea?
In the Red Sea, since November 2023, attacks by the Yemeni Houthis on merchant ships, which allegedly have connections with Israel, have been ongoing. The Houthis claim that in this way they are waging war against Israel and helping the struggle of the Palestinian group Hamas, which is also supported by Iran. First, they seized the cargo ship Galaxy Leader and took hostages, then tried to seize the tanker Central Park, but was assisted by the destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87).
In December, the Houthis began firing missiles and drones at civilian and military ships in the Red Sea. Due to security risks, the worldʼs largest container carrier, Denmarkʼs Maersk, has suspended all transportation through the Red Sea.
On December 19, 2023, the United States announced the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian against the Houthis at sea. It was joined, in particular, by Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, and other countries — more than 20 countries in total. Western media reported that the coalition could launch missile strikes on Yemen, but so far the clashes with the Houthis are taking place only at sea. These are mostly skirmishes between ships and boats.
On January 10, 2024, US and British warships repelled the most massive attack by the Yemeni Houthis in the Red Sea.