The United States and Britain have begun carrying out attacks on Houthi-linked targets in Yemen, four US officials told Reuters on Thursday.
It was the first attack on the Iran-backed group since it began attacking international shipping in the Red Sea late last year.
“These attacks are in response to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea,” US President Joe Biden said.
Rishi Sunak also responded: “The United Kingdom will always demonstrate its position in favor of free shipping and free trade.”
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have attacked Red Sea shipping lanes to show support for Hamas. The attacks have disrupted international trade on the main route between Europe and Asia, which accounts for about 15% of global maritime trade.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an official statement detailing the attacks would be made soon.
This Thursday, the Houthi leader said that any US attack on the group will not go unanswered.
The US military said on Thursday that the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile into international shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden, the group’s 27th attack since November 19.
The Houthis have already confirmed that they are under attack from the US and UK. “The US-British aggression against Yemen has led to several attacks on the capital Sanaa, Hodeidah, Saada and Dhamar provinces,” Houthi spokesman Abdul Qader al-Mortada said on social network X.
“Our country has become the target of massive aggression from North American and British ships, submarines and warplanes, and there is no doubt that the United States and Great Britain will have to be prepared to pay a high price,” the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized. Houthi case Hussein al-Ezzi on social network X.