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U.S. and U.K. military forces, with support from four other countries, conducted a fresh round of strikes on Monday, targeting eight Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the militant group’s attacks on ships traveling through the Red Sea.
The fresh strikes targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the group’s missile and air surveillance capabilities. The strikes were carried out with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, according to a joint statement.
“We stand ready to take further actions to neutralize threats or respond to attacks, ensuring the stability and security of the Red Sea region and international trade routes,” a senior defense official told reporters.
The Houthis have carried out more than 30 attacks since mid-November on ships they claim have links to Israel, in response to the country’s ongoing war in Gaza.
The latest strikes are the eighth such round since the U.S. began attacks on Houthi sites since Jan. 12, although the rebel group remains undeterred.
Iran is “very directly involved” in attacks carried out by Houthis, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the Navy’s 5th Fleet, told Associated Press. “Iran is clearly funding, they’re resourcing, they’re supplying and they’re providing training.”
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping on a much larger scale than the early days of the COVID pandemic. There are also growing fears of Israel’s war in Gaza destabilizing the Middle East.
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