The U.S. Central Command announced on Friday that American and British forces carried out strikes on Houthi targets, affirming that the attacks aimed to undermine their capabilities to launch assaults. In a statement on "X", they emphasized, "We hold the Iran-backed Houthis responsible for attacks on international shipping."
The Central Command added that "locations containing weapons and munitions and rocket launch sites" were targeted, reiterating that "these strikes are unrelated to the Prosperity Guard Coalition," which includes more than 20 nations operating in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.
The Central Command remarked, "We hold Iran responsible for supporting these militias that threaten maritime security." Previously, a statement from Central Command detailed a new Houthi attack in international waters.
On January 11 at 2:30 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command forces, in coordination with the United Kingdom, supported by Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain, conducted joint strikes on Houthi targets to degrade their capability to continue their illegal operations.
The Central Command noted in their statement on "X": "At approximately 2 a.m. (Sanaa time), Iran-backed Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward international shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden."
The statement indicated, "One commercial vessel reported visually observing the missile impact in the water, but no injuries or damage were reported." It noted that this attack "marked the 27th Houthi assault on international shipping since November 19, 2023."
Earlier, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that the American and British strikes against the Houthis in Yemen targeted radar systems and infrastructure for drones and missiles. Austin stated that "this operation aims to disrupt and weaken the Houthi ability to endanger mariners and threaten international trade in one of the world's most important maritime corridors."
He emphasized, "The coalition's actions today send a clear message to the Houthis that they will face greater consequences if they do not cease their illegal attacks."
