In a joint operation, the United Kingdom and the United States launched airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, resulting in the deaths of at least 16 people and injuries to 35 others, according to Houthi sources. This marks the highest acknowledged death toll from such strikes, which were in response to increased Houthi attacks on maritime shipping.
Three U.S. officials, who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation, stated that the airstrikes targeted a variety of underground facilities, missile launchers, command and control centers, a Houthi vessel, and other infrastructures. These strikes were a reaction to the recent escalation in attacks by the Houthi militia in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets involved in the operation launched from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier positioned in the Red Sea, with additional support from other U.S. warships in the area.
On Friday morning, Houthi media focused on one of the strikes, which they claimed hit a building housing Hodeida Radio and nearby civilian homes in the port city of Hodeida. The Al-Masirah satellite news channel broadcasted images of injured civilians being assisted. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the claims of civilian casualties.
Additional strikes were reported outside Sana’a, near its airport, and at communication facilities in Taiz. The details about these strikes were sparse, indicating they likely targeted Houthi military installations.
Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam condemned the strikes, describing them as punishment for Yemen’s support of Gaza and Israel’s actions in the region.
In the UK, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s had conducted strikes in Hodeida and Ghulayfiqah, targeting drone control facilities and storage buildings for long-range drones and surface-to-air weapons. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that the strikes were carried out in self-defense due to the ongoing threat posed by the Houthis.
Both the U.S. and the UK have been conducting strikes against the Houthis since January, with the U.S. frequently operating independently. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has previously reported a death toll of 40 people and 35 wounded from these strikes, though he did not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties.
The Houthis have intensified their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding an end to Israel’s war in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in over 36,000 Palestinian deaths since it began following a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, which killed approximately 1,200 people and led to around 250 hostages being taken.
According to the U.S. Maritime Administration, the Houthis have carried out over 50 attacks on shipping since November, killing three sailors, seizing one vessel, and sinking another. Recently, they attacked a ship carrying grain to Iran, their primary supporter.
Additionally, a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone reportedly crashed in Yemen, with the Houthis claiming to have shot it down with a surface-to-air missile. The U.S. Air Force did not report any missing aircraft, suggesting the drone might have been operated by the CIA, which may have lost up to three drones in May alone.
