U.S. and U.K. carry out new strikes on Yemen

The US and UK have announced a new round of strikes on Yemen, responding to what they call ‘increased Houthi destabilizing and illegal activities in the region.’ A statement from US Central Command reported that US and UK forces ‘conducted strikes on 8 Houthi targets’ in Yemen on Monday, including ‘missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars, and deeply buried weapons storage facilities.’ ‘These strikes are intended to degrade Houthi capability to continue their reckless and unlawful attacks on U.S. and U.K. ships, as well as international commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden,’ read the statement. Yemen’s Houthis have carried out as many as 30 attacks on vessels in the region, after vowing to strike all Israeli-linked shipping in response to Israel’s military operation in Gaza. They have also begun to target British and American ships, and the attacks are thought to have impacted the global shipping industry more than the Covid-19 pandemic.