The attacks on Yemen’s capital came in response to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. President Joe Biden, citing media reports, said the strike was ordered in response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea.
The US-led coalition attacked Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen on Thursday, CNN reported. The Biden administration and other governments have warned repeatedly to stop attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, but these warnings were ignored by the group. Therefore this step was taken by the US-led coalition.
President Biden said in a statement on Thursday that the strikes were directed at targets used by the Houthis.
President Biden, quoting a CNN report, said that these attacks have put our allies, American personnel, citizens, sailors, freedom of trade and navigation at risk.
Senior US officials have blamed Iran for aiding and abetting the crisis in the Red Sea, saying that had it not been for technical and intelligence support from Tehran, the Houthis would not have been able to threaten the shipping route.
Citing a CNN report, President Biden said in a statement issued by the White House that, on my instructions, US military forces, together with the UK, attacked several targets in Yemen. It was used by Houthi rebels to threaten freedom of navigation. Australia, Canada, Bahrain and Netherlands have also given full support in this attack.”
These attacks were carried out using fighter planes and Tomahawk missiles. A US official told CNN that more than a dozen Houthi positions were hit by missiles fired from surface, air and sub platforms.
These included ballistic missile storage and launch sites, radar systems, drone storage and launch sites and cruise missile storage and launch sites.