U.S. President Joe Biden announced successful strikes on several targets used by the Houthis in Yemen, which he claimed were threatening the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The operations were carried out by U.S. forces in coordination with the United Kingdom and supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands. In a corresponding move, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak affirmed that the United Kingdom would always defend navigation freedom and the flow of trade.
In a statement released by the White House, Biden explained that the strikes were a direct response to the unprecedented Houthi attacks on international maritime vessels in the Red Sea, including the use of ballistic missiles. The American President highlighted that the Houthi assaults posed a risk not only to U.S. forces and civilian sailors but also to trade and navigation freedom in the area.
Biden stated his readiness to "not hesitate" in ordering additional actions to protect American people and the free flow of international trade when necessary. He pointed to incidents where crews from over 20 countries faced threats or were taken hostage in Red Sea piracy acts, justifying his description of the operation as defensive and necessitated by the escalating Houthi attacks on shipping vessels.
UK Statement
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak specified that the Royal Air Force had carried out targeted strikes against military installations utilized by the Houthis in Yemen. Sunak indicated in a statement that the UK had taken limited, necessary, and proportionate measures for self-defense to weaken the military capabilities of the Houthis and to safeguard global shipping.
Sunak confirmed the UK Navy's commitment to continue its patrols in the Red Sea as part of a multinational operation to deter the Houthis. He urged the Houthis to cease their attacks and take steps to de-escalate, noting that the group had persisted in their Red Sea assaults despite repeated international warnings.
A joint statement by the coalition led by the United States affirmed that the strikes aimed to disrupt and reduce Houthi capabilities that threaten global commerce and the lives of mariners.
The statement elaborated that the United States and the United Kingdom conducted joint strikes under the inherent right to individual and collective self-defense in accordance with the United Nations Charter, with backing from the Netherlands, Canada, Bahrain, and Australia. The coalition emphasized its resolve to defend lives and maintain the free flow of trade.
Russian Position
Meanwhile, a diplomatic source informed Al Jazeera that Russia had requested an emergency open session on Friday concerning the U.S.-UK airstrikes against the Houthi group in Yemen.
The same source stated that Russia sent a message to Security Council members characterizing the use of force in Yemen as a violation of the United Nations Charter. While most Council member states preferred closed consultations on the issue, the Russian mission insisted on the necessity for an open session with the participation of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The United States and Britain conducted early morning strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. A U.S. official told Al Jazeera that the targets included radar sites, drone and missile platforms, and coastal observation points, highlighting that the operation had concluded but with the caveat that the right to respond would be maintained if threats continued.
Another U.S. defense official assured that the combined U.S.-UK strikes in Yemen had struck their intended targets. Aircraft, warships, and submarines participated in the strikes. The Wall Street Journal reported from a U.S. official that the U.S.-led coalition had launched more than a dozen raids on Houthi targets.
Sunak: The UK has taken limited, necessary, and proportionate action in self-defense to weaken the military capabilities of the Houthis and protect global shipping (European Pressphoto Agency)
