US and British strike 18 Houthi targets in Yemen after terrorists disrupt humanitarian aid

A military coalition led by U.S. and British forces struck 18 sites controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen after the terrorists disrupted humanitarian aid bound for the war-torn Gulf nation. 

The coalition, which had support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand, hit the Houthi-controlled areas Saturday, U.S. Central Command said on X, formerly Twitter. 

The strikes targeted areas that the Houthis are using to attack ships in the region, according to CENTCOM. "Illegal Houthi attacks have disrupted humanitarian aid bound for Yemen, harmed Middle Eastern economies, and caused environmental damage."

Houthi underground weapons facilities, missile storage sites, air defense systems, drones, radars, and a helicopter were all targeted, per officials. "These strikes are intended to degrade Houthi capability and disrupt their continued reckless and unlawful attacks on international commercial and U.S. and U.K. vessels in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden," CENTCOM also said. 

The goal of the attacks is to defend coalition forces, partners and allies in the region and to restore freedom of the seas, according to U.S. officials.

This is the fourth strike from both U.S. and British militaries against the Houthis since Jan. 12, per Military.com. The United States has also been independently carrying out near-daily strikes against the Houthis, which the Biden administration re-listed as a terror group on Jan. 17.

"The United States will not hesitate to take action, as needed, to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. "We will continue to make clear to the Houthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks."

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