On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that the United States and the United Kingdom successfully struck Houthi targets in response to attacks on ships in the Red Sea, as witnesses reported strikes hitting Yemeni cities. U.S. media reported that fighter jets took part in the strikes, which included the use of Tomahawk missiles.
Biden stated in a press release: "Today, under my direction, U.S. military forces – in cooperation with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands – conducted successful strikes against several targets in Yemen that the Houthi rebels use to jeopardize freedom of navigation in one of the world's most vital waterways." He described the strikes as a "direct response" to "unprecedented" attacks launched by the Houthis on ships in the Red Sea, which included "the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history."
The U.S. President added, "These attacks endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, and threatened commerce and freedom of navigation." He continued: "These targeted strikes send a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our crews or allow hostile actors to jeopardize freedom of navigation in one of the most important trade routes in the world." He affirmed, "We will not hesitate to issue orders for further actions to protect our people and the free flow of international trade as necessary."
Furthermore, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that the strikes against the Houthis in Yemen were "necessary" and "proportional," noting that Royal Air Force aircraft conducted airstrikes against military facilities belonging to the Houthi group in Yemen. In a statement, Sunak mentioned that "the Houthi group launched serious attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, posing a threat to trade and leading to increased prices for goods."
Sunak added, "Despite repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis continued their attacks in the Red Sea, including on British and American warships." The statement concluded: "We took limited and necessary action in self-defense alongside the United States, with support from the Netherlands, Canada, and Bahrain, to limit Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping movements."
