The United States and the United Kingdom conducted air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen earlier today. A US official told Al Jazeera that the strikes targeted radar sites, drone and missile platforms, and coastal surveillance locations, stating, "the operation is completed, but we reserve the right to respond if the threats continue."
The official confirmed that the US and UK strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen have hit their targets. A US defense official told Al Jazeera that ships, warplanes, and submarines participated in the strikes against the Houthis.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the strikes carried out by US and UK forces against Houthi positions in Yemen came in response to the group's "illicit, dangerous, and destabilizing attacks."
Austin clarified that the strikes in Yemen targeted Houthi capabilities for drones, remote-controlled boats, coastal radars, and aerial reconnaissance.
British Minister for Defence, Grant Shapps, pointed out that Typhoon aircraft executed what he described as precision strikes on two military Houthi targets alongside US forces.
In a tweet on the X platform, the British minister added that "the threat to innocent lives and global trade has become too great to ignore, making this action not only necessary but our duty to protect shipping and freedom of navigation."
The UK Defense Ministry reported that four Typhoon fighters launched the attacks in Yemen with the support of a refueling aircraft. The Ministry added that British aircraft attacked a drone launch site in northwest Yemen and a base for launching cruise missiles and drones in the Abs area. According to the British Defense Ministry's statement, initial signals show that the Houthi's ability to threaten commercial ships has been hit.
The Wall Street Journal cited a US official saying that the US-led coalition conducted more than 12 raids on Houthi targets.
These strikes are believed to be the first carried out by the United States against the Houthis in Yemen since 2016.
— Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) January 12, 2024
As for the details, Houthi leader Abdullah Bin Amer told Al Jazeera that the strikes targeted military sites around Sanaa and Hodeidah. He spoke of his group's positions being hit by what he described as lightning strikes but stressed that the Houthis did not hesitate to respond, affirming that the group has "capabilities that allow us to legitimately defend ourselves."
The Houthi leader held Washington and London responsible for what he called the militarization of the Red Sea and affirmed that his group will continue its operations in the Red Sea to end the aggression on Gaza. He threatened to strike US and British bases in the region if Washington and London expand the battle.
Ali al-Qahum, a Houthi leader and member of the political office of the group, said his forces are powerfully retaliating against US and British warships in the Red Sea.
Additionally, Hussein al-Ezzi, another Houthi leader, stated that Yemen has been subjected to a wide-ranging aggressive attack involving ships, submarines, and warplanes from the US and UK. He asserted that the US and UK need to prepare to pay a high price and bear all the profound consequences for this blatant aggression.
Al Jazeera's correspondent in Yemen reported that US and British airstrikes targeted Sanaa Airport and the vicinity of Hodeidah Airport, areas in Zabid directorate, and Kahlan camp in Saada.
The correspondent also reported hearing the sound of four explosions in the capital Sanaa, five explosions in Hodeidah, and four raids on locations in the Abs directorate in Hajjah, west of Yemen. A Houthi leader mentioned several American and British airstrikes on the capital Sanaa and the coastal city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea, Saada, and Dhmar.
These developments came hours after the Pentagon announced it had prepared plans to target Houthi positions in Yemen, in response to the attacks on commercial shipping lines in the Red Sea. The Times reported that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had approved "limited" British airstrikes.
Previously, a Houthi official revealed the spotting of American spy planes flying south of the Red Sea.
Reuters reported from sources in Hodeidah city that the city has been on high alert since Thursday evening with the heavy deployment of Houthi forces and military truck activity. They added that work is underway to evacuate camps.
An American military official mentioned that US forces in the Middle East are on high alert, retaining "the right to respond to any aggression at the appropriate place and time." He expressed concern over the Houthis' "malign activities" in the region.
John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, stated on Thursday, "The Houthis need to stop these attacks, and they will bear the consequences for not doing so."
In another context, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi previously threatened any American attack on Yemen would not go unanswered, adding that the stance of Washington and London would not prevent them from attempting to halt Israeli crimes.
Muhammad Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi political council, demanded an immediate stop to Israeli attacks on Gaza. He warned against any aggression and accused the United States and the United Kingdom of violating international law, describing the Security Council decision on the safety of navigation in the Red Sea as a political game.
On Tuesday evening, British and American forces shot down 18 drones and three missiles launched by the Houthis in the Red Sea, described by the British government as "the largest Houthi attack to date."
