US, UK Launch Strikes Against Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen

‘This was a significant action,’ a senior Biden administration official said.

An RAF Typhoon aircraft takes off to join the U.S.-led coalition from RAF Akrotiri to conduct air strikes against military targets in Yemen, aimed at the Iran-backed Houthi militia that has been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, in Cyprus, in this handout picture released on Jan. 12, 2024. UK MOD/Handout via Reuters

U.S. and UK military forces carried out air strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday, with support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain.

President Joe Biden said he ordered the strikes in response to a series of unprecedented and escalating attacks by Houthi rebels on U.S. and international maritime vessels in the Red Sea, one of the world’s most crucial waterways for commercial shipping.