Houthi attacks – live: UK and US launch airstrikes against rebel group in Yemen

The Shia militant group is allied to Tehran, as are Hamas and Hezbollah, and seeks to reduce western influence in the Middle East.

Its slogan includes the words “death to America”, “death to Israel” and “a curse upon the Jews”.

The group emerged in the 1990s and its supporters mainly come from the ranks of Zaidi Shia Muslims and the Houthi tribe.

It claimed former president Ali Abudllah Saleh had grown too close to Saudi Arabia and Israel, and tensions between them grew for several years.

The death of the group’s founder, Hussein al Houthi, at the hands of the Yemeni military led to the Houthi insurgency from 2004.

The group later participated in the 2011 Yemeni revolution,

The rebels rose to prominence after capturing Yemen’s capital Sana’a in 2014, sparking a civil war which is estimated to have killed almost 400,000 people.

The first images of the four Typhoon jets used in the airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The jets – supported by a Voyager refuelling aircraft – reportedly dropped Paveway bombs on twi military facilities used by Houthis to launch drone and missile strikes.

A number of US lawmakers have spoken out, some condemning president Joe Biden for authorising the strikes without consulting Congress.

At a press conference on Thursday, a senior White House official provided a brief timeline of the events leading up to the strikes.

The UN Security Council condemned Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, issuing a statement that called on the immediate end to attacks on 1 December, and “underscored the importance of the freedom of navigation,” the official said.

On December 18, the establishment of US operation Prosperity Guardian, the 22 country defensive coalition was announced. The coalition was organised under the umbrella of the combined maritime forces to help defend against Houthi threats in the Red Sea.

On day later on 19 December, 44 countries issued a multilateral statement condemning Houthi interference with navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea.

The official said that on New Year’s Day, further attacks prompted direct engagements by US forces. President Biden had convened a national security team to discuss options and the way forward.

On 3 January the United States and 13 other countries issued a multilateral statement warning that the Houthis would bear the full consequences of any further attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

Despite the prior warnings, one of the largest Houthi attacks in the Red Sea took place on Thursday, prompting the combined military strikes.

According to a senior Biden administration official, the strikes were ”aimed specifically to disrupt and degrade Houthi capabilities to threaten global trade and freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical waterways”.

The official said the targets “focused specifically on Houthi missile radar and UAV capabilities,” as well as “capabilities that are essential to the Houthis campaign against commercial shipping in international waters”.

“Today’s collective action comes against a broad diplomatic backdrop and global condemnation of his ongoing attacks, including the largest attack to date just three days ago, specifically targeting US vessels,” the official added.

UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps shareed footage of Typhoon strikes on two Houthi military targets alongside US forces.

“The threat to innocent lives and global trade has become so great that this action was not only necessary, it was our duty to protect vessels & freedom of navigation,” Mr Shapps wrote on X.

A joint statement from the governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States, said the strikes were in response to “continued illegal, dangerous, and destabilizing” attacks by the Houthi rebels.

“These precision strikes were intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of international mariners in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” the statement read.

“The Houthis’ more than two dozen attacks on commercial vessels since mid-November constitute an international challenge. Today’s action demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks.

“Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let our message be clear: we will not hesitate to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways in the face of continued threats.”

US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement that he supported president Joe Biden’s decision to launch strikes agains the Houthi rebels.

“I welcome the US and coalition operations against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists responsible for violently disrupting international commerce in the Red Sea and attacking American vessels. President Biden’s decision to use military force against these Iranian proxies is overdue,” he said.

“I am hopeful these operations mark an enduring shift in the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies. To restore deterrence and change Iran’s calculus, Iranian leaders themselves must believe that they will pay a meaningful price unless they abandon their worldwide campaign of terror.

“The United States and our allies must leave no room to doubt that the days of unanswered terrorist aggression are over.”

Here is UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s statement on the coalition strikes in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen in full:

“The Royal Air Force has carried out targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen. “In recent months, the Houthi militia have carried out a series of dangerous and destabilising attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, threatening UK and other international ships, causing major disruption to a vital trade route and driving up commodity prices. Their reckless actions are risking lives at sea and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. “Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week. “This cannot stand. The United Kingdom will always stand up for freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade. We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping. “The Royal Navy continues to patrol the Red Sea as part of the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian to deter further Houthi aggression, and we urge them to cease their attacks and take steps to de-escalate.”

Here is president Joe Biden’s statement on the coalition strikes in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen in full:

Today, at my direction, US military forces—together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands—successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways.

These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea—including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history. These attacks have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized trade, and threatened freedom of navigation.

More than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping. Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy. More than 2,000 ships have been forced to divert thousands of miles to avoid the Red Sea—which can cause weeks of delays in product shipping times.

And on January 9, Houthis launched their largest attack to date—directly targeting American ships.The response of the international community to these reckless attacks has been united and resolute.

Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian—a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending international shipping and deterring Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. We also joined more than 40 nations in condemning Houthi threats. Last week, together with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels would bear the consequences if their attacks did not cease.

And yesterday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding the Houthis end attacks on merchant and commercial vessels. Today’s defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels’ escalating attacks against commercial vessels.

These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes. I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.