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The recent air strikes conducted by the United States and the United Kingdom in Yemen’s Hodeidah province have resulted in a total of 16 deaths and 35 injuries, according to reports from the Houthi-owned Al-Masirah. The strikes targeted various locations in the area, including a radio building in Al-Hawk district and the Salif port. The US Central Command confirmed that US and British forces hit 13 targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The British defense ministry stated that the joint operation focused on three locations in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, which were reportedly housing drones and surface-to-air weapons.
The strikes, which took place on Thursday night into early Friday morning, were carried out in response to the Houthi group’s disruptions to shipping in the Red Sea. Both the US and UK militaries emphasized that precautions were taken to minimize risks to civilians and non-military infrastructure during the operation. The US Pentagon described its targets as radar systems, drone storage and launch sites, missile storage and launch facilities, and Houthi command and control nodes.
Despite the air strikes, the Houthis remain defiant and have vowed to continue their activities. Houthi spokesperson Mohamed Abdelsalam condemned the strikes as a “brutal aggression” against Yemen, alleging that they were a form of punishment for the country’s support of Gaza. The group’s leader, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, criticized the US and UK for their actions, warning that they would soon realize the folly of their intervention.
The coalition of US and UK attacks received backing from several other countries, including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and South Korea. The allies justified the strikes as a means of protecting global trade and the lives of international mariners in the Red Sea, emphasizing that the actions were conducted in self-defense. The situation in Yemen continues to be complex, with regional and international actors closely monitoring developments in the region.
