The United States and the United Kingdom conducted another coordinated strike on Monday against Houthi targets in Yemen, according to a Pentagon statement. This operation marks the second joint action by the two allies against the group and demonstrates ongoing efforts to deter attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
A key objective cited in the briefing was the destruction of an underground storage facility used by the Houthis to hide missiles that threaten maritime traffic. The Pentagon also noted that other Houthi sites involved in air surveillance were targeted, and the operation reportedly hit eight separate targets. No casualties were reported as a result of the strikes.
The joint statement indicated that the United States and the United Kingdom carried out the attacks with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands. The White House later confirmed that on Monday President Joe Biden spoke with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak by phone about security in the Red Sea and related regional issues.
This latest strike comes ten days after Washington and London launched a prior joint operation targeting sixty Houthi-linked sites in Yemen, the first major response to the rebels’ attacks on Red Sea shipping. Since that initial action, U.S. forces have conducted several additional strikes aimed at missiles and other assets deemed to pose an imminent threat to maritime commerce in the region.
The Houthis, an Iran-backed militia that controls large portions of Yemen, have been linked to a string of attacks against vessels in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. They describe their actions as retaliation for Israel’s Gaza operations following the Hamas assault on October 7. The conflict’s ripple effects are drawing global concern as nearby hostilities threaten to widen into a broader regional confrontation.
Analysts warn that renewed violence raises the risk of a broader regional spillover and could disrupt a global economy that relies on maritime routes through the Red Sea for a substantial share of world trade. Observers note that roughly a tenth of global seaborne commerce passes through this corridor, underscoring why naval forces in the area remain vigilant and ready to respond to any further provocations.
On the diplomatic front, recent moves to cut off funding to the Houthis have been described by Western governments as an effort to suppress their operational capabilities. The Houthis, part of a broader network associated with Iran’s regional influence, have framed these actions as a collective resistance against perceived aggression in the region. The evolving dynamics of this conflict continue to draw attention from North American and allied governments seeking to stabilize maritime routes and deter further escalation.