US, UK launch retaliatory strikes against Houthis in Yemen

The U.S. and the U.K. conducted a spate of retaliatory strikes Thursday against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Washington and London bombed more than a dozen sites in Yemen used by the Iranian-backed Houthis.

U.S. and U.K. forces hit targets with Tomahawk missiles fired by warships and missiles from fighter jets, targeting logistical hubs, supply facilities and air defense systems.

President Biden said the strikes were carried out along with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands and the actions were taken “in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks” in the Red Sea, adding that the attacks threatened U.S. personnel, civilians and trade in the region.

“Today’s defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels’ escalating attacks against commercial vessels,” he said. “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.”

“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary,” Biden said.

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Iranian channels on Telegram reported around a dozen strikes, including in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a. They also reported explosions at several airports in Yemen.

“Our sites have been subjected to sudden strikes, and we will not hesitate to respond,” a Houthi statement posted on Telegram reads. “We have the capabilities to legitimately defend ourselves. Washington and London should bear the responsibility for militarizing the Red Sea.”

It’s not clear how impactful the strikes have been on Houthi targets in Yemen. The rebel group has fought for years against the Yemeni government and is a battle-tested group, but are likely to be extremely vulnerable to joint U.S. and U.K. military action.

A senior Biden administration official said the targets were Houthi missile, radar and drone capabilities that were “essential” to the Houthi campaign in the Red Sea.

“We fully expect this action to diminish the Houthi’s capability and degrade it, and certainly over time to reduce their capacity,” the official said.

“The United States carries a special, historic obligation to help protect and defend these arteries of global trade and commerce,” the official added. “And this action falls directly in line with that tradition. That is clearly reflected in both our national security strategy and the national defense strategy. It is a key conviction of the president and it is a commitment that we are prepared to uphold.”

The strike is the first time the U.S. has carried out direct, offensive military action against the Houthis since the rebel group began attacking merchant ships in the Red Sea in late November.

Until Thursday, the U.S. held back from attacking the Houthis in Yemen. Washington set up a multi-nation maritime task force last month to protect commercial shipping, but the Houthis kept attacking ships and vowed the task force would not deter them.

Earlier this week, the Houthis targeted commercial ships as well as U.S. and U.K. boats with the largest drone and missile attack yet. Allied U.S. and U.K. forces shot down around 21 missiles and drones in the attack.

The strike in Yemen is likely to provoke both the Houthis and Iran, and it threatens to spiral into a wider war. The Middle East has seen widespread conflict since the breakout of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in early October, including more than a hundred attacks on U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq. In the Red Sea, the Houthis have launched 27 attacks since Nov. 19.

Iranian-backed groups claim to be standing in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza by attacking the U.S. in the region. The Houthis in particular say they are targeting Israel-based ships or boats headed to Israel.

Iran views the Houthis as one of its more prized proxy groups in the Middle East and is likely to express anger at the strikes Thursday in Yemen. Iran and the Houthis reacted furiously when the U.S. sunk three Houthi boats in the Red Sea at the end of December.

The Biden administration has faced immense pressure to stop the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, which have disrupted global trade. Around 10 percent of commercial shipping goes through the Red Sea, and the Houthi pressure has forced major shipping companies to reroute around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope.

Washington has also faced questions of whether the task force would deter the Houthis and protect shipping boats, and whether offensive strikes were needed to stop the Houthis.

Around 40 countries have condemned the Houthis for attacking merchant ships and earlier this month, the U.S. joined 12 countries in warning the Houthis they will face consequences if the attacks continue.

A senior administration official said Biden convened his national security team on Jan. 1 to discuss how to deter the Houthis and to draft plans for potential military action. Biden requested the warning statement go out first, but the massive Houthi attack this week prompted him to direct the Pentagon to strike back.

The targets were selected after careful review to hinder Houthi operations and avoid civilian harm, according to the senior military official.

The Hill’s Lauren Sforza contributed to this report.

– Updated 8:55 p.m. ET, Jan. 11