US and UK Launch Joint Attacks on Houthi Facilities in Yemen
By: [Reporter Name]
The United States and the United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain, carried out retaliatory attacks on Houthi installations in Yemen in response to attacks on Red Sea shipping according to a US defense official speaking to The War Zone, a report said.
The US defense official said the attacks were carried out from air, surface, and subsurface platforms.
In the attacks, they targeted Houthi radar systems, drones, storage and launch sites for ballistic and cruise missiles.
The attacks took place at around 6:30 Eastern time, but an immediate assessment of the damage caused by the strikes was not available, the defense official said.
The CNN reported on Twitter that the attacks were carried out with missiles and Tomahawk jets.
Voice of America also reported on Twitter that over a dozen targets were hit, from training facilities to drone storage sites.
Congress was informed today (January 12, 2024) about the attack plans, the CNN reported on Twitter.
As previously reported, it was anticipated that strikes would occur this evening after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a special Cabinet meeting earlier in the evening. Additional details are expected to be obtained from the Pentagon and CENTCOM.
This is a developing story. We will update as more news comes in about this strike. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the attacks.
A number of videos have emerged purporting to show attacks in Yemen, with huge explosions and loud noises reported.
In the last few weeks, there have been increasing calls for attacks on Houthi targets, and the United States has issued direct warnings about the consequences if attacks were to continue. Now that retaliatory strikes have begun, the threat level in the region has changed. The potential for Iranian proxies beyond Yemen to dramatically increase their operations or for Iran to become more directly involved is tangible. US facilities will be on heightened alert. Bases in Iraq and Syria, which have been regular targets of Iranian-linked militias, are now under increased threat. Much closer to the action, the extensive Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti is just 100 miles from the Yemeni coast and could suffer a large-scale attack directly from Houthi drones and missiles. The reason the US hesitated for so long to attack the Houthis was the fear that a wider conflict would erupt at a time when the region is already in great peril due to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Needless to say, the upcoming hours and days will be filled with uncertainty, but it is certain that the Houthis have just faced the consequences the United States has been warning about for weeks.
RAF Typhoon FGR4 were also used in the attacks. The use of tactical air power underscores the extensive list of targets which seem quite extensive at the moment.
Here is the statement from UK Prime Minister:
“The Royal Air Force conducted targeted strikes against military facilities used by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthi militia has carried out a series of dangerous and destabilizing attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea in recent months, threatening UK and other international vessels, causing significant disruptions to a vital trade route, and driving up commodity prices. Their reckless actions are endangering lives at sea and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.”
“Despite repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to perpetrate attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week.”
“This cannot stand. The UK will always defend freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce. We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defense, alongside the United States and non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada, and Bahrain, against targets linked to these attacks, to degrade the Houthis’ military capabilities and safeguard global maritime trade.”
“The Royal Navy continues to patrol the Red Sea as part of the multinational Operation Guardian’s Prosperity to deter further Houthi aggression, and we urge them to cease their attacks and take steps to de-escalate.”
The four RAF Typhoons were launched from RAF Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus and carried out a long-range attack mission that would have covered more than 3,000 miles round trip. The Paveway IV bombs would signify direct strikes on targets with the Typhoons flying near the targets to drop the bombs.
Here is the statement from US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin:
“Given the Houthis’ illegal, dangerous, and destabilizing attacks backed by Iran against US and international vessels and commercial ships from many countries lawfully transiting the Red Sea, today the US and UK forces, with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands carried out attacks against military targets in areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthis. This action is
… (Additional information and quotes from the defense official, statement from a Houthi major general, and tweets from the US Central Command remain in the article).
