Two U.S. officials stated Thursday that the U.S. and Britain attacked Houthi-controlled Yemen. Navy ships fired Tomahawks and fighter planes at various targets.
President Joe Biden said the strikes, supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, targeted Houthi rebel areas that "endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways."
"Today’s defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels’ escalating attacks against commercial vessels," Biden said Thursday night.
"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."
Biden said that he would "not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary."
"A brutal aggression against our country, for which they will pay absolutely," Houthi Media Authority vice president Nasr Aldeen Amer stated Thursday. "We will support the Palestinian people at all costs."
“Despite repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea,” he said Thursday, confirming the strikes.
“This is unacceptable. The UK would always defend free navigation and trade, he said. Sunak called the U.S. and U.K. strikes “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence.”