US launches new air strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen

The US launched a new attack against the Houthi rebels in Yemen in the early hours of Saturday morning, following joint American-British air strikes.

The attack, on a radar site, was carried out overnight with Tomahawk missiles from the USS Carney, and came in response to a wave of attacks by the Houthis on commercial ships in the Red Sea.

US Central Command described it as a “follow-on action on a specific military target”.

“Since 19 November 2023, Iranian-backed Houthi militants have attempted to attack and harass vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden 28 times,” US Central Command said in a statement.

“These illegal incidents include attacks that have employed anti-ship ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles.”

An aircraft takes off to join the US-led coalition to conduct air strikes against military targets in Yemen on January 12, 2024. (Photo: US Central Command via X/Handout via Reuters)

The US said that the strikes were no related to Operation Prosperity Guardian, a defensive coalition of over 20 countries operating in the Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden.

Following the initial strikes, “suspicious” small boats had reportedly approached merchant ships 80 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, following one vessel for over an hour.

The Houthis have declared their support for Hamas and have been targeting oil tankers passing through the Red Sea, sparking concerns for global trade.

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In order to maintain the safe passage of tankers in the region, the UK is not ruling out further military action against the Iran-backed group if it continues to launch attacks on ships, i understands.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the UK participated in the first wave of strikes to ensure the “safety of UK vessels and the freedom of navigation across the Red Sea”.

But the former head of the British Army warned that the strikes risked intensifying the Houthi attacks and escalate tensions across the Middle East.

Shipping experts also said the strikes were “not good news” for the industry and could increase the costs of transporting goods. Any price hikes will ultimately be passed to the consumer, they warned.

Around 15 per cent of all the world’s shipping passes through the route being targeted by the Houthis. The UK Government has described the area as “vital to the global economy”.

More than £150billion worth of cargo is now caught up in the Red Sea delays, according to figures based on ship-tracking data produced this week by Oxford University on behalf of the International Monetary Fund.