A US-led coalition conducted strikes against Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen, escalating tensions after the group continued attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea despite warnings. President Joe Biden stated that the strikes were a direct response to Houthi attacks on international maritime vessels and aimed at multiple targets used by the Houthis for launching their attacks. The US, along with the UK and support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, carried out the strikes.
Biden emphasized that the Houthi attacks endangered US personnel, civilian mariners, and global trade, threatening the freedom of navigation. He did not disclose details about casualties resulting from the strikes but asserted a readiness to take further measures to protect people and international commerce.
Senior US officials have accused Iran of supporting the Houthis, stating that Tehran's technological and intelligence assistance enables the Houthi threat to the shipping route. The strikes targeted radar systems, drone storage and launch sites, ballistic missile storage and launch sites, and cruise missile storage and launch sites, aiming to degrade the Houthi's capability to continue Red Sea attacks. The international community is increasingly concerned about the threat to this vital waterway.
(With Agency Inputs)
