US and British militaries have conducted joint airstrikes targeting Houthi missile sites in Yemen for second time this month.
The two allies carried out coordinated retaliatory measures against a variety of missile launch capabilities, several US officials said. According to officials, the United States and the United Kingdom have used Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets dropped from warships and submarines to destroy Houthi missile launchers and garage sites. Sources said several towns around Sana’a had been attacked.
The airstrikes took place around 9:15 p. m. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing mission. The joint operation comes about 10 days after U. S. and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. It is the first U. S. Army to be used in the U. S. The U. S. has been reacting to a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on advertising vessels since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October.
The Mirror understands that British officials are increasingly concerned that the UK will be dragged into a wider conflict in the Middle East. However, the Houthis’ maritime attacks are creating a blockade that will most likely lead to huge costs and inflation in the West. They were used in retaliatory airstrikes.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden spoke by phone about ongoing attacks on warships and traders, the White House said. They also discussed efforts to secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza through Hamas, the United States said.
But it appears that Sir Keir Starmer was not informed prior to the new circular of anti-Houthi measures in the United States and the United Kingdom. Labor leader and shadow defense secretary John Healey reported on the army operation on 11 January.
The Houthis, an Iranian-backed defense force, have been attacking advertising ships in the Red Sea since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October. Last night, the British and US armies bombed several sites in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. killing at least five fighters.
Speaking regarding today’s airstrikes, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “On 22 January, the UK conducted further strikes against Houthi targets. Four Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, supported by a pair of Voyager tankers, joined US forces in a deliberate strike against Houthi sites in Yemen.
“Our aircraft used Paveway IV precision-guided bombs to hit several targets at two military sites near Sana’a airfield. These sites were used to enable continued unbearable attacks on foreign shipping in the Red Sea. This follows our initial operation in “January 11, and subsequent US actions, were aimed at degrading the Houthis’ ability to carry out these types of attacks. “
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Dangerous Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have continued to threaten the lives of seafarers and disrupt shipping, placing an unbearable burden on the global economy. Together with our U. S. partners, we are carrying out a new series of strikes. in self-defense. This action, aimed at degrading the Houthis’ capabilities, will deal a further blow to their limited stockpiles and their ability to threaten global trade. In addition to our ongoing diplomatic efforts, we will continue to pursue regional efforts across the Middle East, hand in hand. with our like-minded partners.
In keeping with the same old UK practice, very rigorous investigations were put in place when planning the measures to minimise any threat of civilian casualties and, as in previous measures, our aircraft bombed at night to further mitigate those threats.
Tensions in the Middle East have risen after Iranian-backed Houthi rebels began attacking ships crossing the Red Sea.
On Monday night, the United Kingdom and the United States attacked several sites used by the organization for the second time this month. The two allies have carried out coordinated retaliatory measures against a variety of missile-launching capabilities, several U. S. officials said. They used Tomahawk missiles and smuggled fighter jets from warships and submarines to destroy the Houthis’ garages and missile launchers, the officials said.
The Islamist organization says it has begun targeting a narrow strip of sea between Yemen and East Africa, which is a key route for foreign industry, in a bid to end Israel’s air and ground offensive against Hamas. The Shiite militant organization is allied with Tehran. along with Hamas and Hezbollah, and seeks Western influence in the Middle East.
Their motto is the words “death to America,” “death to Israel,” and “curse the Jews. “
The organization emerged in the 1990s and its adherents come primarily from the ranks of Zaidi Shiite Muslims and the Houthi tribe. He claimed that former President Ali Abudllah Saleh had moved too close to Saudi Arabia and Israel, and that tensions had been emerging between them. for many years.
The death of the organization’s founder, Hussein al-Houthi, at the hands of the Yemeni army sparked the Houthi insurgency beginning in 2004. The organization participated in the Yemeni revolution of 2011.
The rebels rose to prominence after seizing Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014, sparking a civil war believed to have killed an estimated 400,000 people. They conquered more territory after aligning themselves with M. Saleh in 2015 and now much of western Yemen to the Bab al Mandeb Strait, a 16-mile stretch of water that marks the front to the Red Sea.
The group’s acquisition prompted Saudi Arabia to step in to try to repair the Sunni-majority rule recognized around the world. A Saudi and UAE bombing crusade opposed to Houthi goals introduced in 2015 and prompted complaints about civilian deaths, leading to calls for the UK to halt arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Tehran has been accused of supplying weapons, education and money to the Houthis. The war has been seen as a surrogate for a broader clash between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as both countries seek to strengthen their influence in the Middle East.
Tensions escalated in 2017 after the organization claimed responsibility for firing a missile at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and killed Saleh that same year after he stopped supporting the Saudi-led coalition. The rebels attacked Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and, at most recently, Israel with missiles before clashes erupted in the Red Sea. Monday’s joint operation comes after U. S. and British warships and warplanes hit more than 60 targets in 28 locations on Jan. 11.
The full extent of last week’s damage remains unclear, with the Houthis saying at least five sites, adding airfields, were targeted. The Defense Ministry described its movements at a site in Bani that was allegedly used by the Houthis to release drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones.
Houthi leaders vowed revenge for the attacks, with Foreign Ministry official Hussein al-Ezzi warning: “The United States and Britain will have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the disastrous consequences of this blatant aggression. The group’s army spokesman also said the Houthis would continue to block the passage of ships through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
Armed Services Minister James Heappey said last week that no further moves or military action were planned at this time and that the government was aware of wanting to avoid escalation in the region.
The Houthis are sworn enemies of Israel, subsidized by Iran, and are reacting to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Attacks have increased in recent weeks and are having a devastating effect on foreign maritime trade. The Mirror has contacted the Minister of Defence.
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