Sanaa/Gaza:

Heavy US and British air strikes hit targets in Yemen on Friday morning, following weeks of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi forces acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The Houthis have increased the number of attacks on shipping linked to Israel in the key international trade route since the war in Gaza broke out.

Houthi fighters have controlled large parts of Yemen since the civil war broke out in 2014 and are part of the “axis of resistance” against Israel.

The Houthi’s al-Masirah TV station said Friday’s strikes targeted an airbase, airports and a military camp, with AFP correspondents and witnesses also saying they heard sounds of bombardment.

“Our country was attacked by a large-scale offensive by American and British ships, submarines and warplanes,” Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein al-Ezzi said, according to official rebel media.

“The United States and Britain must be prepared to pay a heavy price and face all the serious consequences of this blatant aggression,” he said.

US President Joe Biden called the American and British strikes “defensive actions” following the Red Sea attacks and said he would “not hesitate” to order further military action if needed.

US Air Force Central Command said in a statement that the strikes involved fighter jets and Tomahawk missiles. It said sixty targets in 16 Houthi positions were hit by more than 100 precision-guided munitions.

“Today, at my direction, U.S. military forces – together with the United Kingdom and with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands – successfully struck multiple targets in Yemen that are used by the Houthi rebels to threaten freedom Navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways,” Biden said in a statement.

Unverified photos on social media, some purportedly from al-Deylami airbase north of Sanaa, showed explosions in the sky accompanied by loud bangs and the roar of planes.

Houthi fighters during a march in solidarity with the Palestinian people in the capital Sanaa. Photo: AFP

Biden called the strikes a “direct response” to “unprecedented” attacks by the Houthis, including “the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history”.

“These attacks put American personnel, civilian sailors and our partners at risk, jeopardize trade and threaten freedom of navigation,” he said.

Blaming the Houthis for ignoring “repeated warnings”, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that the attacks were “necessary and proportionate”.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes “targeted the Houthis’ unmanned aerial vehicles, ballistic and cruise missiles, and sites associated with coastal radar and air surveillance capabilities”.

A joint statement from the United States, Britain, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and South Korea said the “aim is to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea”.

“But our message must be clear: We will not hesitate to protect life and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most vital waterways, despite continued threats.”

The Houthis said there was “no justification” for the airstrikes and warned that attacks on shipping linked to Israel would continue.

“We confirm that there is no justification for this aggression against Yemen, as there was no threat to international navigation in the Red and Arabian Sea, and the aim was to affect Israeli ships or ships heading towards the ports of occupied Palestine. Was and will continue to be,” Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdussalam posted on Twitter in the east.

Yemen’s neighbor Saudi Arabia, which is trying to end its involvement in a nine-year war with the Houthis, has urged against an escalation in the war.

“Saudi Arabia is monitoring the military operations with great concern,” a Foreign Ministry statement said, calling for self-restraint and avoidance of tensions.

Western attacks could risk escalating an already tense situation in the Middle East into a broader conflict, pitting the United States and Israel against Iran and regional groups.

The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in response to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza following the October 7 attack, and have launched a series of drones and missiles toward Israel.

Israel faces cross-border fire from fighters from Syria and Lebanon – particularly Hezbollah – on its northern border and has responded with attacks in both countries.

US and allied forces in Iraq and Syria have also faced intensified attacks since the war in Gaza began, with Washington responding by bombing targets across several groups.

The United States and its allies have repeatedly issued stern warnings to the Houthis to stop shipping attacks, although Washington has been wary of escalating regional tensions.

Washington established an international coalition in December to protect maritime traffic in the region – dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, through which 12 percent of world trade flows.

Twelve countries, led by the United States, warned the Houthis on January 3 that they would face “consequences” if they did not immediately stop attacks on commercial ships.

However, on Tuesday, the Houthis launched what they said was their most significant attack yet in London, with US and British forces shooting down 18 drones and three missiles.

The final blow to Western allies came early Thursday morning when the US military said the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile at a shipping lane in the Gulf of Aden.

The US military said it was the 27th attack on international shipping in the Red Sea since November 19.

The increasing attacks have forced shipping companies to divert around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, raising fears of a blow to the global economy.

The United States strengthened its military position in the region immediately after the October 7 attacks on Israel and warned Iran and its allies not to escalate the situation.

The US was initially cautious in its response as it tries to maintain a fragile peace in Yemen, where a decade of civil war and a Saudi-led coalition military campaign have left the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest country one of the world’s worst. Has given rise to one of the humanitarian crises. ,