US and UK forces strike Houthi stockpiles with international cooperation

U.S. and U.K. forces combined to hit 36 Iran-backed Houthi rebel targets across 13 locations in Yemen on Saturday, marking the third joint mission between the two Western allies in the Middle Eastern nation.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the strikes were intended to degrade the Houthis’ capabilities to carry out attacks against commercial vessels in the frequently navigated waterways off Yemen’s coast.

The last two strikes happened on Jan. 11 and 22, to which the Houthis responded by targeting the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda, resulting in a fire on Jan. 27. The U.S. and U.K. also had the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand in their joint strike.

“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to continue to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats,” a joint statement from all involved countries reads.