The United States and the United Kingdom carried out airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in response to ongoing attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. The action was announced by Yemen’s internationally recognized government and reported by Reuters. The release notes that the Houthis have pulled Yemen into a broader military conflict that affects regional and global security interests.
According to the statement, the strikes were aimed at undermining the Houthis’ capacity to threaten maritime traffic and freedom of navigation in one of the world’s busiest and most strategic waterways. The White House described the operation as targeted measures designed to blunt the group’s ability to disrupt global trade through maritime attacks.
It was later learned that on January 12, American and British air forces conducted more than 60 strikes across 16 Houthi targets inside Yemen. The objective, as described by officials, was to degrade capabilities that enable continued assaults on vessels traversing the Red Sea corridor and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The actions were presented as a clear message intended to deter further aggression and protect international commerce.
In the days leading up to these military actions, a formal ultimatum was issued to the Houthi leadership, demanding an end to attacks on ships passing through Bab el-Mandeb and the adjacent maritime routes. The ultimatum underscored the international community’s commitment to safeguarding maritime routes that are vital for energy supplies, trade, and global economic stability.
Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul-Salam warned of an immediate and substantial response to the US and UK operations. He insisted that the group will retaliate in a rapid and large-scale fashion, signaling a willingness to escalate tensions in the region and within Yemen itself.
Earlier statements attributed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that four Ukrainian sailors were being held by Yemeni Houthis. This development added another layer of international concern to the evolving crisis in Yemen, linking the conflict’s consequences to the broader geopolitical landscape.