In response to actions by the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, the United States carried out a new attack on Saturday, according to a statement from the Central Command. This comes after a series of airstrikes the day before by the US, the UK, and other allies against the Houthis, accused of threatening maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
The Saturday attack targeted a Houthi radar in Yemen, as per the Central Command’s statement. While Houthi media reported that the strike hit the Al Dailami airbase in Sanaa, the capital controlled by the Houthis since 2014.
These events have raised concerns about a potential regional escalation amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The US, the UK, and their allies stated that Friday’s operation aimed to “de-escalate tensions” and “restore stability in the Red Sea” following Houthi attacks in the region.
The Houthis responded, pledging to continue their actions on this key maritime route and warning that “all US and British interests have become legitimate targets.”
This rebel group, backed by Iran, has controlled parts of Yemen since the start of a civil war in 2014. They are part of the self-proclaimed “axis of resistance,” along with Hamas, Hezbollah, and other groups hostile to Israel.
The UN has called on all parties to avoid worsening the situation. The Security Council held an emergency meeting to discuss the airstrikes following the adoption of a resolution demanding that the Houthis cease attacking ships in the Red Sea.
The airstrikes have significantly affected maritime activity in the region, with a 70% decrease in the number of container ships crossing the Red Sea since mid-November. In response, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated in Sanaa and Tehran, expressing solidarity with Gaza and Yemen and showing hostility toward the US, the UK, and Israel.