So far, the US and UK have struck 91 sites belonging to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, which carry out attacks on ships traveling from the Red Sea to Israel under the pretext of supporting Gaza.
Since 2014, the Houthis have controlled the capital Sanaa, as well as the strategic port city of Hudeidah and other areas along Yemen's Red Sea coast. In the past few months, they have threatened to attack and seize merchant ships linked to Israeli companies, citing their response to Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Since November 19, 2023, the Houthis have reportedly carried out missile and drone attacks against 33 ships in the Red Sea.
US forces, indicating that they have also been the target of these attacks by the Houthis, have announced on several occasions that they have successfully intercepted their missiles and kamikaze drones.
On December 18, the US announced the creation of a multi-national "maritime task force" called "Operation Guardian of Welfare" involving a group of countries, citing the security threat to global maritime trade posed by the Houthi forces.
On January 11, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution submitted by the United States and Japan demanding an immediate end to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
Approximately 12% of world trade takes place through the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea and provides the shortest route between Europe and Asia.
On January 11, the US and the UK, backed by Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, announced their initial strikes against the Houthis.
Washington and London said eight targets were hit in the attacks, which included Sana'a, as well as the Yemeni cities of Sada, Hudeida, Taiz and Hajja.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari said the January 11 strikes by the US and UK hit 73 targets, and reported that five members of the Houthis were killed and six others were wounded.
US forces said they had launched ballistic missile attacks in preparation for an assault in the Red Sea on January 17-18, but no further details were provided.
In a statement to X, Sarri said US and UK warplanes struck the cities of Sana'a, Hudeidah, Taiz and al-Bayda on January 23.
The spokesman added that a total of 18 airstrikes were carried out, 12 of which were aimed at Sana'a and its suburbs, three at Hudeidah, two at Taiz, and one at al-Bayda.
A joint statement released by the UK Ministry of Defense said US and UK forces, supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, had struck eight Houthi targets.
The joint statement said the airstrikes were aimed at eliminating the threat the Houthis posed to merchant shipping and, consequently, global trade.
"United States and United Kingdom military forces, at the direction of their respective governments and with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against eight Houthi targets in Yemen in response to continued Houthi attacks against international and commercial shipping, as well as warships transiting the Red Sea," the statement said.
It is also noted that in their strikes in Yemen, the US and the UK have primarily targeted Houthi infrastructure and munitions, rather than Houthi personnel.
Reactions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have backed the Yemeni government against the Houthis since 2015, said they did not support an escalation of tensions after the initial strikes by the US and UK.
In a statement on January 12, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said: "We are closely monitoring the military operations conducted in the Red Sea and the airstrikes on points in Yemen with great concern."
Similarly, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the same day that it had concerns about the consequences of the attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait./BGNES