Staying in the Middle east and the US and UK have launched another round of joint missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in response to further attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea.
The UK’s defence secretary, Grant Shap, says the UK has a duty to protect lives. But the Houthis have vowed continued defiance, warning its attacks on shipping in the Red Sea will continue until Israel ends its assault on Gaza.
US and UK carry out fresh strikes on Houthi
Takeoff for what the US and UK are calling the latest necessary and proportionate strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, four RAF Typhoon fighter jets were involved, using precision guided bombs at two sites to take out drones said to be used by the Houthis for reconnaissance and attack missions against shipping. The US hit a further six locations in the capital of Yemen. Sana. Smoke could be seen billowing into the night sky.
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In a joint statement, London and Washington said these precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade, naval vessels and the lives of innocent mariners in one of the world’s most critical waterways. A week ago, this british owned ship, the Rubymar, was struck by Houthi missiles, forcing the crew to abandon ship. And this US owned cargo vessel, the sea champion, delivering humanitarian aid to Yemen, came under attack.
The Houthis, who control large swathes of Yemen, have been targeting vessels they say are linked to Israel and the west in response to the war between Israel and Hamas. Yemen has a key strategic position in the Middle east, especially when it comes to global shipping. The Red Sea route typically looks like this. It’s one of the busiest in the world, transporting 15% of traded goods, largely from east to west. But because of the Houthi attacks, many major shipping firms have diverted around southern Africa.
It takes ten days longer and hugely increases costs. A Houthi military spokesperson said what he called the escalation by the US and UK would be confronted with more military operations against hostile targets in the Red Sea. But the UK is warning it won’t hesitate to take further action if it’s needed. US and UK
The defense secretary, Grant Shap, said. It is our duty to protect lives at sea and preserve freedom of navigation. But so far, the threat from the Houthis has not been neutralized, with 45 ships targeted since November.