Washington: The United States and Britain launched another round of large-scale military strikes on Saturday against multiple sites in Yemen controlled by the Houthis, US officials said.
The strikes aim to weaken the ability of Iranian-backed militants to attack ships in sea lanes vital to global trade, a campaign they have been carrying out for nearly four months.
An aircraft lifts off from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during flight operations in the Red Sea in January.credit: AP
The officials said that US and British warplanes bombed missile systems, launchers and other targets. Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand provided support for the operation, according to a joint statement from the countries involved that the US Department of Defense emailed to reporters.
Australian government sources said that Australia supported the attacks through its personnel at the military headquarters, as it did in previous US-led operations against the Houthis.
The strikes, which the statement described as “necessary and proportionate,” hit 18 targets in eight locations in Yemen linked to underground Houthi weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, unmanned aerial systems for one-directional attack, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter.
The statement said: “These precision strikes aim to disrupt and weaken the capabilities used by the Houthis to threaten global trade, naval vessels, and the lives of innocent sailors in one of the world's most important waterways.”
Houthi supporters take part in a march against US-led raids on Yemen and the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, in Sanaa, Yemen on Friday.credit: AP
Earlier on Saturday, the Navy destroyer USS Mason shot down what US Central Command said was an anti-ship ballistic missile fired from Yemen into the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis say their attacks are a protest against the Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, which began in response to Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7.
