Joint Strikes Of US, UK Hit Dozens Of Houthi Targets In Yemen In Response To Attacks On International Merchant Vessels

A day after the US conducted air strikes against Iranian forces and allied militias in Iraq and Syria, joint air raids of the US and Britain struck dozens of targets of Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saturday (3 February).

While these strikes were in response to Houthis' repeated attacks on shipping which is disrupting global trade, the earlier US strikes were in retaliation for a lethal drone strike that killed three American soldiers.

The recent strikes attacked "36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen," the statement said citing Houthis' attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea.

The intention of these precision strikes was to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use as they hit "deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, and radars."

In separate strikes, the US continues to destroy anti-ship cruise missiles in Yemen. One such strike was yesterday when US Central Command forces hit six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles "prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea".

The other strike was earlier today when after determining "an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region, the US Central Command forces destroyed a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile in "self-defence."

Also read: Continuing Strikes Against Iran-Backed Houthi Militants, US Destroys Three Missiles, 10 One-Way Attack UAVs In 3 Days