The United States and the United Kingdom confirmed this Thursday, January 11, that they had launched a joint military operation with the support of other countries against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, after increasing attacks against ships in the Red Sea. In that area, an American ship was captured by Iran, the Houthis’ biggest ally. Earlier, a Houthi leader warned that any foreign advance would be met with a response, while US President Joe Biden said he would not hesitate to take further action.
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A new edge erupts Middle East. After tensions rose in recent weeks, when The Houthis conducted an operation against ships in the Red Sea off Yemen and this Thursday, January 11, after the capture of a US ship by the Iranians. United Kingdom And USA They reacted.
As confirmed by the two governments, airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. The bombardment — carried out from planes, ships and submarines, according to one official — hit at least six rebel-held Yemeni provinces.
“These attacks are a direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks on international maritime vessels. red seaIncluding the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history,” the President of the United States said. Joe BidenIn a statement released by the White House.
Since the conflict in the Middle East began on October 7, Yemeni rebels backed by Iran have claimed to have targeted ships belonging to Israel because of its incursion into Gaza. The Houthis have warned that they will attack any ship heading to Israeli ports or sailing off the coast of Yemen.
Biden added this Thursday that he “will not hesitate” to implement more measures to protect the free flow of people and commerce.
For his part, the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunakexplained that the country’s Royal Air Force, together with the United States, carried out selective strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain.
The US And points attacked by the United Kingdom include the capital Fury. Evidence collected by the EFE agency showed that one target was the Al Dailami air base located at the capital’s airport. Meanwhile, airstrikes were also reported in the regions of Al Hudeidah Sada, Dhamar, Taiz and Hajjah in the west of the country.
The reaction comes after Western countries have appeared less likely to respond to the Houthi rebellion in recent weeks.
Houthi sources stressed to EFE that counterattacks are already being carried out against military ships of the United Kingdom and the United States in the Red Sea.
Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister, Hussain Al Azzi, expressed himself on the social network X and said that Yemen was “the target of a massive invasion”. “There is no doubt that the United States and the United Kingdom will have to be prepared to pay a high price,” he said.
تعرفت بلادنا لهجوم ادواني واسع من سفن وجواصاط وترايرات هربية عمريكي ة وبريطانية , وبلاشك سيتعين على اميركيا وبريتانيا استيداد لدفئ الثم ن باهضا.
— حسين العزي (@hussinalezzi5) January 12, 2024
On the other hand, a member of the Houthi Political Bureau, Ali Al Kuhom, also expected the conflict to escalate and said it was an “open war”. “The war will be big and beyond the imagination and expectations of the Americans and the British,” he wrote on the social network.
The seizure of a ship by Iran this Thursday was another factor that increased tensions. From Washington, they demanded the immediate release of the oil tanker plying in the sea of Oman. Iranian officials responded that this was in retaliation for the ship being captured by the US in 2023.
The State Department said of the St Nicholas ship – with a crew of one Greek and 18 Filipinos, which is from Greece and sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands – that it was an example of Tehran’s deterrence to “disrupt international trade”. .
In the framework of the war in Gaza, the Houthis support the Palestinian side, which is why they have attacked boats since November 19, accusing them of being affiliated with Israel.
With EFE and Reuters
