US President Joe Biden says strikers on the Houthis in Yemen have not stopped the group’s Red Sea attacks, and that the US operation will continue.
US forces conducted a fifth round of strikes in Yemen after a US ship was hit by a Houthi drone. The US Central Command conducted strikes on two Houthi anti-ship missiles aimed at the Southern Red Sea. The missiles were identified as an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. US Central Command stated that the actions were defensive in nature and did not seek war with the Houthis.
UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a US-owned tanker was attacked by drones off the coast of Yemen, resulting in one being dropped into the ocean. The incident occurred after the Houthis terrorist organization was re-designated as a terrorist organization by the US and UK. The Houthis began attacking merchant vessels in November, responding to Israel’s military operation in Gaza. In response, the US and UK launched air strikes against Houthi targets, supported by Australia, Bahrain, the Netherlands, and Canada, following an ultimatum to cease attacks.