In a decisive move, the United States launched a fresh strike against a Houthi target in Yemen overnight, targeting a radar site with Tomahawk missiles launched from a warship, as confirmed by the US military. This action follows a broader series of US-UK strikes on nearly 30 locations in Yemen on Friday.
President Biden had earlier issued a warning, stating that the US would respond if the Houthi rebels persisted in their “outrageous behaviour” of attacking shipping in the Red Sea. The military now describes this latest strike as a “follow-on action” from the previous operation.
Despite the warnings and military actions, the Iran-backed Houthi group remains defiant. They have declared that attacks in Yemen will not go unanswered, promising “punishment or retaliation” and vowing to persist in their assaults on ships. The group’s drone and rocket attacks on vessels have already forced major companies to reroute their ships, sparking concerns about potential rises in fuel prices and disruptions to global supply chains.
The Houthi militants, who control a significant portion of Yemen, assert that their strikes on Red Sea ships are in support of Gaza. This geopolitical context adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict, as tensions escalate in the region.
