US, UK bomb Houthis in Yemen

The Israel-Hamas conflict moves this Friday to Yemen where the United States and the United Kingdom carried out overnight strikes against the Houthi rebels, who have been threatening international maritime traffic in the Red Sea for weeks in “solidarity” with Palestinians in Gaza. These strikes targeted military sites in several towns controlled by the Houthis, indicated the television channel of this rebel group, member of the “axis of resistance”, a group of armed movements hostile to Israel and established by Iran which also includes Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah.

“Defensive” action

The capital Sanaa and the port city of Hodeida, where AFP correspondents said they heard several explosions, as well as Taiz and Saada were targeted. The American-British operation was carried out “successfully” in “direct response to the unprecedented attacks by the Houthis on international ships in the Red Sea”, affirmed American President Joe Biden, referring to sustained “defensive” action to protect in particular international commerce.

In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, the Houthis have increased missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea since mid-November, pushing many shipowners to bypass the area, which increases transport costs and times. between Europe and Asia. In response, the United States had already deployed warships and set up an international coalition in December to protect maritime traffic in this area where 12% of world trade passes.

What the beginning?

On Tuesday, 18 drones and three missiles were shot down by three American destroyers, a British ship and by fighter jets deployed from the American aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower. The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken, on tour this week in the Middle East to try to stem the ongoing regional escalation of the Israel-Hamas war, had issued a warning to the Houthis, while the Security Council of The UN had demanded an “immediate” end to their attacks.

But on Thursday, the Houthis launched another anti-ship missile into the Red Sea. And rumors of an intervention ran wild. Early Friday, the United States and the United Kingdom struck Houthi positions, with President Biden warning that he “would not hesitate” to “order further measures” if necessary. “These targeted strikes are a clear message (that) the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our troops (and) will not allow hostile actors to endanger freedom of navigation across the of the most important trade routes in the world,” added the American president.

Support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands

The Houthis, close to Iran and who control a large part of Yemen, have carried out 27 missile and drone attacks since November 19 near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait separating the Arabian Peninsula from Africa, according to the American army. They say they are targeting commercial ships they suspect of being linked to Israel, claiming to act in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, the scene of a devastating war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas which governs this territory.

“Despite repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea (…) We therefore took limited, necessary and proportionate measures in self-defense,” declared the Prime Minister for his part. British Rishi Sunak.

The strikes were carried out using combat aircraft and Tomahawk missiles, several American media reported, with Washington saying it also benefited from the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands. For its part, London said it had deployed four Typhoon FGR4 combat planes to strike with laser-guided bombs the sites of Bani and Abbs, from where the Houthis “launch” drones.

“High price”

“Our country is facing a massive attack by American and British ships, submarines and planes,” responded Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Al-Ezzi, quoted by the movement’s media. “The United States and Great Britain must prepare to pay a high price and bear the heavy consequences of this aggression,” he threatened.

The leader of the rebels, Abdel Malek al-Houthi, had already threatened on Thursday to respond to any American attack in the Red Sea with even “more important” operations than the particularly heavy one on Tuesday. The Houthis, who control much of Yemen, say they are targeting commercial ships they suspect of being linked to Israel, saying they are acting in “solidarity” with the Gaza Strip, the scene of a devastating war between Israel and the movement. Palestinian Islamist Hamas which governs this territory.

The war was triggered by the unprecedented attack on October 7 by Hamas on Israeli soil which left around 1,140 dead, mainly civilians, according to an AFP count based on the Israeli toll. In retaliation, Israel vowed to “annihilate” the Islamist movement, which it classifies as a terrorist group like the United States and the European Union. Its operations in the small besieged territory left at least 23,469 dead, the majority of them women, adolescents and children, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.

“Avoid escalation”

And during the night, the Hamas health ministry reported “numerous” deaths in Israeli strikes on Gaza where the UN deplored Thursday the obstacles of the Israeli authorities to the delivery of humanitarian aid. Since the start of this war, tensions have also increased along the Lebanese-Israeli border, with almost daily exchanges of fire between the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Israeli army and the elimination in early January in Beirut, in a strike attributed to Israel, from Hamas No. 2 Saleh al-Arouri.

Since October, American forces in Iraq and Syria have been attacked 130 times by local pro-Iranian factions claiming to act in support of the Palestinians, according to the Pentagon. During the night, Saudi Arabia said it was following developments in neighboring Yemen with “great concern” and called “for restraint and to avoid escalation”.